The Unusual
by the-voiceless
Summary: Everything seems to be going okay for our heroes, until unusual things begin to happen when Daolon Wong comes to town with an intention to kidnap Jade... but for what?
1. Chapter 1

"But Jackie, it's not fair!"

"I will be back, Jade, I'll only be gone for two days. Besides you have Uncle and Tohru."

"Uncle Jackie, it's Paris! City of Lights. I have to come!"

"I'm sorry, Jade. Maybe next time. My cab's here," Jackie kneeled down," Behave."

"You can't do this to me! I have a right to be part of the action!"

"There's no action, Jade. I'm just picking up paintings for the museum."

"But what if you meet another paper freak like last time?"

"Unlikely."

"You need me, Uncle Jackie!"

"Goodbye, Jade."

Jackie stepped into his cab, waving to Jade from his window. The 12 year old girl pouted, then walked upstairs, sad that she couldn't go. Jumping onto the couch, Jade began to watch television, unaware of the intruder lurking out the window smirking to himself. Goodbye indeed.

"Jade! Come help Uncle!" Jade grunted, stomping to the kitchen.

After a long hour of making mung-bean sandwiches and washing dishes, Jade stepped out of the shop to take out the trash. The night was not so particularly cold, but it was cool. Not too hot. Not too cold. She clicked the Forward button on her Walkman, allowing Pop music to play.

She didn't want to rush going back into the shop. Unhappy with the chores her uncle would give her. Out from the shadows behind her, a tall figure appeared. A pair of eyes gazed on her, one blue and the other grey.

"Well, well, well, what do I have here? The youngest of the Chans and in my grasp…" Daolon Wong smiled and raised his staff," Now, child, be prepared to-"

He stopped mid-sentence, finally aware that Jade had no idea he was there. The girl continued to swing around and tapping her foot, mouthing the words and pumping her fist in the air.

Wong stood right behind her and raised a brow.

"This shall be easier than I assumed," mumbled Wong, as he raised his staff, conjuring blue and black smoke to swallow both of them.

But before he could-

"JADE! Uncle needs you at registAARR!"

She clicked Stop on her Walkman, turned around, and walked back into the shop. Locking the door behind her.

From the edge rooftop, Wong growled, and went to the middle of the rooftop. He peered down into glass windows and straight into the kitchen.

"Sensei, what shall I do with the extra bat wings?" Tohru asked, holding up a jar.

But Uncle's eyes widened.

He smacks Tohru on the forehead, "Hush! Uncle has… the willies."

Upon hearing this, Wong rushed to the other glass window, looking straight down into Uncle's shop to see Jade at the register. This must be swift. Her feet were propped up on the table and she was playing a video game.

He smirked.

"Ahh, alone I see."

Jade continued to play her game, but still obviously bored.

It's the first week of summer vacation and there was absolutely no signs of the ShadowKhan or the Dark Hand or Shendu or the Enforcers or the Monkey King or from anyone else evil. Chances of seeing any action were dim, in Jade's view. But she still had Jackie, Uncle, and Tohru to hang out with.

But she was still looking forward to seeing her parents in Hong Kong, going to Mooseworld, and scheming plans of other mischief.

The bell at the door rung as a costumer entered. Not paying attention, Jade continued her game, unaware of the costumer who stood directly infront of her. Finally getting the hint someone was there, she put down her game, taking off her earphones and sitting up straight.

Sighing, Jade mumbled," Hello, welcome to Uncle's- AH!"

She jumped up in her seat.

"Hey kiddo…"

"Uncle!" Jade yelled, running around the table.

"Ai-yaaahh! Uncle can not concentrate on potion with noise!" yelled Uncle, walking out of the kitchen," What is so important you must bring me out of my- Haachaa! You!"

"Hello, gramps. Jackie called me. He told me to look after Jade, so here I am," Viper smiled hugging Jade," Hey baby-face. How are you?"

"Awesome! Now that you're here! Viper, are you going with me to Mooseworld?"

"Jade-"

"Or come with me to see my parents in Hong Kong?"

"Jade-"

"Are you here for a mission? Oh no! Is Jackie in trouble? Are we going to go help him? Is there a cab outside?"

"Jade! No, I'm just here to take care of you. No missions. No monsters. No demons. No evil doers. It's 7:55, time for bed."

"Awwwwww…"

As Jade left the room to change into her pajamas, Wong tapped his chin, readying a plan to kidnap the young girl. It had only been 5 days since he's been in town, but that didn't stop him from returning back to his old ways.

Circling his staff around his body, he vanished in his cloud of darkness to return to his lair. His clawed hand touched the small orb which sat in the middle of the room upon a stone bench with dragon feet.

The red smoke swirled and then Jade's face appeared.

"The child is not alone after all. Chan is only gone for two days. That does not give me much time."

Wong looked down into his cauldron bubbling. The ingredients he needed were all there, except one. The blood of someone pure and innocent. Daolon had searched through many books to find the exact spell he needed, but finally he had succeeded. If he wanted the talismans, he would have to play dirty.

"It is not long before the full moon," he looked up into the sky from his castle," I must act quick…"

The next day, Jade was strolling around the local park on her skateboard chewing gum and listening to her Walkman. It was a very sunny day, perfect for something such as a family picnic.

But with very little family in her life, Jade had to spend her time alone. Her uncle always traveled. Her parents are back in Hong Kong. She was an only child. Still to this day, she remained friendless.

All those tales of adventures with her Uncle Jackie had given her a reputation of a liar and a freak. Kicking up her skateboard, she sat on the curb, her head resting on her hand, thinking about better days.

"First day of summer: Whoopee…"

Frowning, she continued on her way around the park.

Deep in the bushes alongside the outer walls of the park stirred the Dark Chi Wizard's warriors. Ratso, Chow, and Finn with their weapons. The three goons poked their heads up.

"Alrighty boys, this is our chance. Time to show 'freaky eyes' what we're made up," Finn moved closer.

"You sure Chan ain't around?"

"Nah. The sap is somewhere in France. Besides, we can handle the shrimp…"

"Sshh! She's coming around!"

All eyes turned towards the girl who came strolling down the pathway, right in their direction.

"Ready…. Go!"

Jumping from the bushes, the men tried to grab Jade's jacket, but she was too fast! They tumbled.

"Don't let her get away!"

The warriors sprinted down the sidewalk, trying to get closer. But Jade skated out of the park and across a busy highway! Chow was hit by a diesel. Poofed into smoke. Finn dodged speeding diesels, cars, and trucks. Ratso jumped over a truck hauling wood. Jade skidded around the corner, speeding down a hill. A large hill.

"Gimme that!" Finn snatched away a skateboard from a child," Hop on!"

Ratso grabbed his hand and jumped on the skateboard. Rubber burned against metal as they went faster and faster! Jade, still totally unaware, still listened to her Pop music. She blew a pink bubble.

Her hand reached out, grabbed a lamp post, making a sudden sharp turn. She kicked her feet off the road, going faster. Ratso and Finn missed the turn, colliding into an ice cream truck. Children ran and screamed. The driver yelped, running away. Chow appeared.

"What happened?"

"The girl's gettin' away!"

Getting back up, Ratso turned the keys, punched the pedal down, revving the engine, turning around, following the skater girl to a comic book shop. Chow and Finn jumped from the open doorway of the ice cream truck and up to the roof of the comic book shop.

Jade took off her Walkman. Phil, the owner of the shop, smiled and took a comic off the shelf.

"Hey, Jade! Just came in today! Fresh from the box."

"Ahh, smells like a fresh new chapter of Super Moose! I only ordered it 3 days ago, too. Thanks, Phil!"

"Anytime!"

Jade exited the shop, putting her Walkman back on, and skated towards the library. The comic book shop returned to it's daily routine, that is until- the Enforcers busted through the doors, with weapons, tearing through the comics, knocking over aisles, and shattering windows. Finn hopped on the counter.

"Where's the girly, bud!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Phil choked out, hiding behind the counter.

"Don't play dumb! We saw her in here!"

"Talk! We know you can!"

"Uh, guys?" Ratso entered holding ice cream," She left. Goin' North."

Finn and Chow looked at eachother, then back to Phil who began to dial 911 on his cellphone. Finn grabbed the phone.

"Don't try to be a hero."

"We're watching you!"

The cellphone was crushed to pieces! The Enforcers turned, jumped out of the door and sped off down the road. Sure enough, they saw Jade enter the public library. All of them snuck up to the side of the building, peeked through the window, then secretly went through the back door.

"I swear, she's doing this on purpose."

"Shut up! She's coming this way!"

Jade quickly sat a table near the window, took out her comic book, and a bottle of water and a sandwich.

"This is our chance!"

"D's going to be stoked once he knows we got her."

One by one, their weapons were taken out.

"Ok. Three, two, and-"

"Excuse me?"

All of them turned to see a woman in a uniform, holding books, and wearing glasses. She had a frozen and strict expression on her face, tapping her foot, with her arms folded.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Us?" Chow gulped," W-We're not doing anything."

She looked at them," Oh, I'm sorry. Not you."

For a moment, she gave them a bizarre glare.

She walked over to where Jade was sitting and pointed at her sandwich. Jade got up and picked up her bag.

"I'm sorry, miss. There's no food in the library. You can take that outside, and when you're finished, you can come back inside."

"Fine! Fine! Fine! It's a free country though!" Jade called back.

She stomped off. Being kicked out of the library wasn't such an adventure, but it made her frustrated. There hasn't been one thing on this planet that was exciting enough for her.

"Hmp! When is something going to happen already!" she yelled to the sky, then looking towards the rest of the town," Dullsville!"

She jumped on her skateboard and headed back towards Uncle's shop. Her feet kicked off the ground, gaining speed.

But also gaining the attention of the Enforcers, who were now enraged. They pushed past people and rushed out into the middle of the highway.

"That's it! Time to pop it into high gear!"

"What are we going to do if Wong doesn't-"

"Nothing! Because we're gonna get the girl!"

Not wasting any time, the warriors sprinted across the rooftops, gaining more and more speed, until they were close enough to attack. Finn and Ratso jumped down, throwing their weapons at lightening speed, hurdling towards the girl. Chow threw his weapon also.

By some miracle, Jade ducked down at the last minute, dodging the deadly glowing weapons.

"Oh, a penny!"

People screamed as billboards, lampposts, and neon signs came crashing down on the sidewalk. Fire hydrants bursted, pouring water into the air. Trucks and cars clashed together, tearing metal, and busting glass everywhere. A nearby water tank trembled, slowly swaying back and forth, moving closer to the edge. The Enforcers noticed, fully aware of what was going to happen.

"No pain, no gain."

"Not true…"

SMASH!

Poof.

(Writer: This story was a special request given to me by another author who wishes to remain anonymous. Thank you.)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Tell me you have the child…"

Daolon Wong slowly stepped down the stairs of his castle, hands tucked in the other pocket. The three goons looked at one another.

"Uh, it goes like this, boss…" Finn stepped forward," The girl had… 10 talismans… and she had… powers and all and there was about …50 guards with her from Section 13."

"Yea. Yea. We gave her the right hook and the left hook but-"

"But then there was this ice cream truck and then-"

"SILENCE!" Wong shouted, raising his fiery red staff," I have to do everything myself these days!"

Cowering in fear, the three warriors ran from the room. Their master walked towards the window, looking up at the moon, then staring out to the land.

"You have failed me… I have no use for you anymore!"

From his staff, a blue orb swallowed Finn, Ratso, and Chow. Sending them to a zero gravity dimension of dark chi, where they'll float there, until needed once again. Daolon rubbed his temples, then placed his gaze on the moon.

"The old goat will not defeat me this time. For once, I shall have what should never have been lost."

Back at Uncle's shop of rare finds, Jade was baking cookies in the kitchen. Tohru was barely able to contain his eagerness and appetite for the delicious circle of dough and chocolate. Jade set the cookies on the windowsill to cool off against the cool air of the night.

Uncle came into the kitchen with his blowfish and lizard. Muttering something. Pointing them at random objects in the kitchen.

"Uh, Uncle what are you doing?"

"Something tells Uncle that dark chi is somewhere close," he pointed at the cookies.

Jade smiled, "Ohh! Tohru's not going to happy when he finds out his cookies are evil…!"

"Hmph! Cookies not important! Dark chi is!"

She raised a brow, "Waaaait a minute. Are you doing this just to get a cookie?"

"Hush! Uncle's working…!"

He walked into another room. Jade shrugged and left to go read her comic book for the 13th time today. She kicked off her shoes and pounced on the couch, giving all her attention to Super Moose.

The cookies were cooling off on the windowsill, but a figure appeared behind them. Wong looked through the window. The old goat was gone. There was no doubt that Uncle could sense his presence around the shop.

"Where is she? Hm?" he looked down at the tray of cookies," Chocolate… chip."

Tohru walked into the kitchen, catching sight of Wong. Tohru's eyes widened. Wong gasped and ducked down. From the sound of his footsteps, he could hear the giant walk up to the window. Damn, he had been seen. His staff glowed bright blue, ready to zap him.

"Jade! They are cooled off. May I have a piece?"

Tohru smelled the cookies and scooped them off. Putting them on a plate. Jade came running into the room.

"Ok, Tohru, but not too many. Maybe Uncle wants some."

"Sensei has been acting quite strange… lately."

"Maybe the onions finally got to him."

So Wong had not been spotted. What dumb luck. From the view of the mirror, Wong spied upon Tohru and Jade.

"So, Jade, what are your plans for summer?"

"Oh, the usual. Mooseworld, parents, and maybe some high flying action with Uncle Jackie. If he lets me tag along."

"I am sure you will have your chance. But… not with the danger, of course."

"Keep your fingers crossed."

Wong smirked. His staff glowed blue, sending him floating up in the air. It was one more day until Chan would return, so this would have to be done tonight. He was no fool, he knew that woman named Viper was still somewhere around, watching Jade just as much as Tohru does. He indeed was a wizard of dark chi, but there was some things he could not do himself. Time was running out. But he will not do it alone.

"Gan, Ren, Chui!"

His three warriors appeared, kneeling up, ready for action.

"So, D, what's the scoop?"

"Are those cookies I smell?"

"Please tell me Chan's not here."

Wong growled," He will be soon, if you do not get the child! It's almost the full moon. That old man will not be the victor in this battle."

"There's our cue!"

Daolon sighed in relief, finally they would accomplish something! Like alley cats themselves, they snuck up against the wall. All three warriors walked forward to the backdoor. Only to poof into smoke once again when the door swung open by the giant Tohru, smashing them into the wall!

Tohru looked around. Seeing nothing in particular, he walked back into the shop.

"USELESS!" Daolon Wong yelled, taking his staff, and holding it up in the air," Come find me, child…"

Inside the shop, nothing had changed. Jade and Tohru were still eating their dessert and Uncle was still not convinced that something evil was lurking outside their door.

"One more thing! Uncle does not like the willies! There is great darkness approaching. Come, Tohru! We must make protection spell!"

"Oh, Sensei, the cookies are-"

"Do not argue with Uncle, come! One more thing! Why not make mung-bean cookies? Much more healthy!"

"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Jade got up from her chair," It sounds… like it's… "

Unable to finish her sentence, Jade walked towards the window, looking out into the alley way.

"Jade?" asked Tohru, watching her walk out the door.

"I'll be back. It sounds like a dog whistle. But more annoying."

Running out of the shop, she looked into trash cans, under garbage bags, and into sewage pipes into the buildings.

"Over here, child…"

Jade looked around," What you are? A ghost? Alien?"

"Closer, child… A little more…"

By this time, Jade's eyes were completely white. His spell had worked. Hah! Finally! Daolon had finally won this battle! He will finally prove that he was right all along.

"Gan, Ren, Chui!"

Daolon whispered a binding spell for her hands and feet, while his dark chi warriors came to inspect what he was doing.

"Hey! It's the little mini Chan!"

"What's she doin here?"

"Silence! We must go before the old goat comes out with the giant."

"You got it."

"Next stop: Antarctica."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

The book was burned.

Daolon Wong had never been so furious before. The fire licked away the pages, finally jumping up in black smoke and blowing away with the cold, cold, cold wind. Antarctica was an unforgiving place.

Even if it was summer, the wind blew knives of cold snow and frost. His castle stood in the middle of a large glacier, floating like a boat to nowhere. Daolon didn't live in the master bedroom, but resided in the basement.

It wasn't because he was not accustomed to luxury, but he preferred someplace tight, cold, and knowingly secure. He climbed down the stairs, his battered and bulging knapsack in his arms.

"She will awake soon…"

He progressed with his potions in his quiet and working state of mind, but also thinking about the girl who was now enslaved in the dungeon with his three dark chi warriors. From his bag, he pulled out a large cauldron with a multitude of ingredients of grass, weeds, water, powder, and live insects.

"Everything I need is here. Gan, Ren, Chui! Bring me the girl!"

The walls behind him shivered, rumbling in shadow. There were cat eyes. Glowing. In the arms of Ratso was the girl, still unconscious, but mumbling the names of her Uncle Jackie and her parents. She shivered, sniffing and rubbing her ankles together, then shivering again.

"Hey-yo, boss. Nice casa you have down here. Cable?"

"Where do you want her?"

Wong pointed," The chair. Strap her down. Make sure she has no talismans. She must be vulnerable."

"Aww, she's a talkin' in her sleep."

Ratso and Chow strapped her down.

The chair was situated in the middle of the dungeon, sitting right below a large window with bars on the ceiling, opening up to the outside. So at that moment, snow fell through the barred window on her black hair, slowly and softly.

"Leave. I shall call when you are needed."

Once again being swallowed by the shadows of the wall, Daolon looked upon the girl. No doubt that she had the expression on the face that she was well loved, loved by her family. Friends? He did not know if she had any. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, dilating to the darkness of the dungeon. But her vision was blurred, seeing that her eye lashes were frozen, creating red corners.

Wong shut the door, put out the fireplace, and stepped infront of his cauldron. The situation was even more amusing when he discovered she was, at the moment, blind from the cold.

"Uncle…?" Jade moved," Uncle Jackie?"

Her jaw quivered, compelling her teeth to chatter, making her squirm more. After realizing she could no escape, she kicked.

"Uncle! Uncle! Hello!"

"Quiet."

Jade gasped," Uncle Jackie?"

Wong waved his hand over the cauldron," At last. I have you."

"Wait… you sound familiar. Who are you!"

Daolon looked down at the green bubbling liquid, placing his gaze on the building of Uncle's shop. Smirking, he saw what torture he caused them. Uncle, Tohru, and Viper were running around the shop, looking behind doors, tearing into boxes, calling Jade's cellphone, and running out into the middle of the street. Their mouths opened up into the night, screaming, yelling, and shouting for their beloved Jade to come running back to their arms.

"My… what a family you have," smirking, he took his staff and walked to her," Do not worry young Jade, your Uncle still does not know that you are in my grasp… But be happy in the knowledge-"

"Who are you! Lemme go! You are going to be SO creamed when Uncle Jackie comes to get me!"

"Always feisty."

She sniffed," Where am I? It's so cold. What are you doing!"

"Oh, you'll be used to the cold soon, because you will be held here in this room for a long, long time."

"I'll never let you trade me for the talismans!"

"Trade?" he snickered," I have no intention of trading you! I have no intention of you leaving this room, as long as I am here."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Daolon looked down in the cauldron, exquisitely amused. Uncle yelled at Tohru and Viper, smacking Tohru on the forehead. Then smacking himself on the forehead. The old goat grabbed his head with both his hands, then crumpled to the ground like a jacket and began to weep. It was heartbreaking.

Viper came up behind him, touching his shoulders and crying on her arm. Tohru put his head down, unable to forgive himself. But Uncle Chan was taking it the hardest. He rocked himself back and forth, then cursing to the clouds and to the heavens and to the moon itself. Their picture disappeared.

"At last, my rival, we are even."

Jade squirmed," Who are you! If you don't let me go, I'm gonna scream!"

"Perfect. Scream all you like. No one is coming for you."

"Who is in control of the temperature in here? It's freezing!"

"That is how it shall remain for the remainder of the year…" Daolon unlocked the door and began to exit," Beware of the icicles. They tend to… fall."

For the rest of the evening, poor Jade suffered the cold falling down on her head, shivering against the hard wood chair, while her feet remained permanently locked to the marble floor.

Her legs had grown numb, as well as her back, neck, and hips. The snow on her head continued to fall, slowly, painfully. For a moment, she thought that someone was there with her, someone sitting on a creaking chair. It sounded like something was being cracked together in an empty water bottle.

"Hello?"

But to her own astonishment, something had shattered, exploding on the marble floor into tiny shards. She jumped. Those shards blew across her legs, making her shiver. It was an icicle. A big one. What she wouldn't give for hot soup.

If it hit her head, then it would all be over. For the next few hours, the snow created a small pile on her head, freezing her hair into thin black icicles. From what she could hear, another icicle would fall every 15 minutes.

The little hairs on her arms would prick up, goosebumps would jump up, attacking her arm with the biting cold. Her fingers felt like sausages, unfeeling and unbending.

"Uncle Jackie!" she whimpered.

On the upper levels of the castle, the three dark chi warriors were having a conversation about their new icy fortress.

"What a gig, huh? Enslaved to the forces of darkness, but it sure gets us to places," Finn looked outside the window.

"Man, would it hurt to put some glass in these windows? The cold's killing me."

"Wong's old school. He likes moats and dungeons and giant cobras."

"You think there's a kitchen around here? Grilled cheese sounds good bout now."

"Sure. But where's Wong? We got the girl. A new hideout. Now what?"

"Don't know. Where is she anyway?" Chow looked around.

"In the dungeons, duh! Hostage situation! We're gonna get those talismans. And boys, we're gonna be rich!"

"Speaking of hostages… Why haven't we seen Chan yet?"

"Good question…"

Finn scratched his head," Maybe the Wongster hasn't made a deal yet."

"Do we get a cut?"

"Of course, Ratso, we always get a cut. Trade the girl for the boot, and then we're home free!"

The three of them looked around. Seeing absolutely no signs of the little girl who had given them so much trouble in the past before, they got suspicious.

Perhaps she was still in the dungeons. But they needed her to be out in the open if they wanted that trade. Also, where was Daolon? He's the head cheese of this whole show, so shouldn't he be out with them?

"Tough crowd."

"Where is everyone?"

The sound of a clock could be easily heard in the other room. The three entered each room of the castle, but saw nothing. It was empty. This would hardly be called a castle to begin with. There were no furniture or even tapestries. The endless gray walls were dull.

In a way, it was almost haunting. The wind and the ice blew through the open windows, howling, screaming, and causing curtains to move. Bringing the hallways to life with shadows, multiplying their suspicious that they were the only ones who resided in the castle.

"Where's Daolon?"

"I don't know. Well, let's go look for the brat."

"Why the shrimp?"

"She's probably easier to look for than Daolon."

"Riiight… But what if Wong catches us?"

"Well that proves we're not abandoned here. Better to be punished than to spend an eternity here looking like circus freaks."

They began to descend down the stairs, avoiding falling icicles, unlocking the bolt to the dungeons. Finn was the first to enter, cautious of any blasts that would come his way from Daolon's staff. Once they entered, the Enforcers gasped at the sight of Jade. Ratso fell to his knees and the other two almost vomited.

"Wong! Wong!" Chow yelled out the door," We got a stiff!"

"We got a stiffy!"

"Oh no! I never meant to hurt anyone! Especially a little girl! I'll never forgive myself!"

"Pull yourself together, man! Look, she's still breathing!"

"If we don't have the girl-"

"There's no trade," Finn gasped," WONG!"

Appearing in his cloud of darkness, Daolon Wong appeared holding his staff, stomping towards his warriors with clenched teeth. Shadows made a visible pathway for him to step through, obviously fearful of his wrath.

"What is so important on this entire planet that you interrupt my meditation!"

All of them gulped.

Finn pointed at the girl," Wong, sir, do you want us to do something?"

The dark chi wizard looked upon the girl who nearly resembled a skeleton of a dead blue fish, but did not phase.

"Do what?"

They couldn't believe what they were hearing! She was just a little girl! Yes, they were villains, but they were not this heartless when it came to children. It actually made Chow and Ratso a little angry. Disbelieving they were working for this monster. Finn bit his lip.

"Ya know… Make her talk. Or… make her move. She looks a little-"

"Dead."

"Corpse-like…"

"If we don't have her, there's no trade. No trade. No talismans."

Wong hissed," What trade! There is NO trade!"

"Then why did we kidna-"

His staff punched the floor, sending brilliant shockwaves, knocking them against the walls, shattering icicles everywhere, sparkling, and cutting their skin. What had they done? They didn't insult their employer."It- We- W-What- And if she dies?"

"Why ask me!" Wong seethed," Do what you want! If I hear one more word about this child, then you shall be punished! I do not care. If you had not called me to this room, I would have preferred she'd be dead and all of you would NEVER know…"

Disappearing in his cloud, the Enforcers were quite… shocked. Appalled. Almost devastatingly angry. The room felt more cold than it already had been.

"You heard the man. Grab a foot."

Finally releasing her from the harsh fall of snow, the Enforcers took her to the Tower, where they easily made a small fire. The Tower was not much, but it had only one window, lessening the chances of frost bite. Chow and Ratso laid the girl on a small bed of hay and sticks and mud.

"Well, this stinks. Why did Wong want us to kidnap her if he's not gonna trade her?"

"Who knows! Whack job must have a good reason."

To be all truthful, they were all prisoners in Daolon Wong's castle. All of them were either chained to his power or chained to a dungeon.

They wanted to be free as much as Jade did, but…who really had a choice? Their new icy fortress was the ultimate prison the Enforcers had ever been to.

It was awful. Through that long, cold night, all three of them tried their best to keep the fire going.

But the cold wind defeated the fire, only leaving behind hot coals.

Through an act of charity, they set Jade closest to the hot coals, warming her hands and feet, hoping to wake her up. Ratso made an attempt to wake her up by tapping and moving her shoulder, but nothing happened.

Finn attempted to talk to her, wake her up, telling her she's not strapped in the chair anymore. But nothing happened. Finally, Chow and Finn went rummaging through the castle, looking for anything that could help the poor child.

Unbeknownst to them, Daolon Wong expressed the most concern about the situation.

His plan had gone smoothly. He kidnapped the child. Jade was gone, and Uncle Chan was tortured by her absence. But why was he still not…pleased?

Jade, the child, was now in his grasp, unable to escape. There was no help coming anytime soon.

Jackie Chan would get the shock of his life and there was nothing else the Chan family could do. But… he was missing something.

A key aspect.

Daolon wanted something more… but what?

Perhaps, solving the problem with bonds would work. He set down his staff, folding his knees, and began to meditate, going back through his memories to the times he remembered seeing the child.

The connection with child and the old goat was strong, but how was it strong in the first place?

The connection with the child and Jackie Chan was strong, but how did it become strong also? Their giant, Tohru, was once an employee of the Dark hand, yet the child had a strong connection with him as well. He tried to kill her several times, so how was that excused?

"What am I missing?"

Yet, his chi warriors were also employees of the Dark Hand, and they did not connect so well. Would that change also?

The main thing was that: Uncle Chan (old goat) had something that Daolon did not have.

But how does he obtain it himself?

There had to be a spell somewhere. What was happening to him?

He just didn't understand.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"You boys thought you could go through a day without me! Jade Chan! The Invincible and -" she coughs on a rolled fist," the sick."

"You've been down there too long, kiddo…" Finn dabbed her head with a cloth.

"We thought you were a goner."

"Luckily, Daolon let us take you out."

Jade grinned," He did?"

Chow frowned, "Not exactly…"

"He was more on the side of-"

"Letting you die."

Jade grinned, coughing, then scooting closer to the coals.

Ratso and Chow had just returned from every nook and cranny of the entire castle, but only returned with the curtain drapes. Unfortunately, the curtains were frozen, being so close to the wind. But it was the only thing closest to being a blanket.

"Thanks…by the way," Jade smiled, feeling sheepish.

The dark chi warriors glanced at her, to the floor, then back to her.

"No prob, kiddo."

"Yea…"

"Yea…"

Jade got up, looked around, and took a glance out the window.

"Whoa. Total Snowsville. Where are we?"

"We're in-"

"Don't tell her that!" Chow elbowed Ratso.

"Hello? We still have a hostage situation."

Jade growled," You crooks! Once this is over, you'll be begging to put in jail."

"We already are…" Finn frowned.

"Huh?"

Ratso sighed," We're prisoners, too. You're not the only one, girly."

Jade sat back down, rubbing her hands together, then looked at them. It was possibly true. The sadness was written all over their faces. They were cold too.

"How long?" she asked.

Getting her implication, Finn responded," About 6 months… Always on the move. Always looking for the talismans in animals. Always fighting. Always poofing into smoke. Always scheming up another plan. But then, a few days ago… Wong started actin' different."

"He wasn't himself."

"Yea. Unusual things began happenin' around. Like he was-"

"After something."

"That's when more punishments happened. Every time he got mad or angry, he would-"

"Zap."

"Burn."

"Fry us! It was ugly…"

Jade thought to herself. Whatever Daolon was after, he kidnapping was only the beginning.

"Was there anything he said? Why take me, too?"

"That's the million dollar question!" Finn raised his hands," The dude's crafty. But he did say something about the full moon…"

"Full moon?"

"Yea. He said something was gonna happen. Don't know what, though."

"Hm… Well I'm not waiting around to find out," Jade got up, taking the drape with her," I'm busting outta here."

Ratso scoffed," Go ahead. Try. We did."

"Ended up a week's detention in snooze town…"

"I'm not staying here. Uncle Jackie might not know where I am, but I'm going home! If you're not going to help me, I'm goin solo."

Jade opened the door, climbed down the stairs in a large spiral.

She entered through each door, closing, unlocking, and hiding in a different spot each time.

"Talk about a house party," she smiled, pushing open another door.

There was no doubt that this castle was huge, but it was empty. There was barely any furniture around. But there were huge windows on the outer walls, looking out to a frosty snow land, but dropping about a 100 feet to an icy death.

"There's no way I'm not dead."

At last, she found herself in the main hallways of the castle, supported with giant pillars on each side, being lit with a snowy moonlight glow. Doors of steel and wood were locked shut with an enchantment, glowing red each time she put her hand on the lock.

"Rats! Of course there's magic in this place. Here I was hoping to meet the wolfman or Dracula."

"Oh? Not the Mothman or the yeti?"

"A yeti would be cool to see, but I always- AH!" Jade twirled around to see Wong," Where did you come from?"

He stood there with a solemn look on his face. Living in a freezing castle had warped his personality. Her words seemed to not have penetrated his attention, but nevertheless, he spoke to her.

"Escaping are we?" he asked, gripping his staff," I see you're hoping to have the door unlocked, yes?"

"You better let me go. Or else Uncle is gonna zap you into yesterday!"

Wong hissed," That old goat does not even know where you are. This castle is under a spell, no one will ever find you."

"Oh yea? HIYAA!" Jade jumped up with her foot in the air, aiming at his head," Whoa!"

A purple light formed around her, glowing, and bringing her closer to Wong. Keeping her there, he smirked. Her hair fell down as she was being hung upside down, floating around in a circle around Daolon.

"You do not know much about magic. But you do know how to give someone a headache. Listen to me: I will give you a choice."

"To beat you up now or later!"

Daolon raised his staff, blue and red lights unlocked the chains, opening the large doors to the window outside of stabbing wind.

"Beyond these doors, beyond the glaciers and snow, there is a boat. Enchanted, the boat will take you home, if you find it. If you surpass the blistering wind and scorching cold of this land. But in these castle walls, I have food and hot soup if you chose to stay, but you will serve me."

"Uh, yeeeeeaaaaaa, NO!" Jade yelled trying to get down," You think I'll serve you. Get smart, creep!"

"So it is the snow, you chose."

With a large swipe of his staff, the orb glowed, zapping blue veins, releasing Jade from the air, throwing her into the deep snow.

"Oof!"

She groaned, getting up in the stomach-length snow. Already her hands were beginning to turn blue, her runny nose came back, and she coughed.

Daolon- for a moment- frowned as the doors closed, crushing her image with both doors from his sight.

However stupid she may have sounded, she was not regretting her decision. Sure she was sick, but she wanted to get home. A new episode of Super Moose would show tomorrow, and there was no way she was going to miss it. Her foot reached out, taking another step in stomach-length snow, only to make the snow swallow her. Also, she missed being with her family.

"Whatever it takes!" she screamed out loud to the castle," I'm going home!"

Melancholy, the owner of the castle roamed about, hands folded behind his back, returning to the moment where the doors had closed, shutting her out, away from him, her limp form in the snow.

The snowstorm had no intention of ceasing its deadly wind, gladly taking the girl into its grasp, and making him think of what had happened only a moment ago. The girl had chosen the cold instead of him, thinking it more a better punishment, than staying in the castle.

It was an insult, and she delighted in it.

However, his subjects were completely against it, not being able to tolerate of a child being out in the middle of the snowstorm without any help or food. For speaking out of term, he punished them, cruelly and slowly.

How many times must he remind them that he is the master of the castle? Too many, it seemed.

His subjects crawled away with what strength they had. The snow howled and howled, shattering icicles, bursting into moonlight, making love to frost, creating crescendos in the dungeons.

Meanwhile, the girl, Jade, had not even walked a mile. Of course she couldn't, the fire of frost burned at her legs. Her hair was frozen. Her teeth were too numb to chatter at all. The wind and snow pushed against her side, covering her ears with snow, getting into her socks, and tightening her shirt.

"Why can't I have been kidnapped on a tropical island!" she screamed, finally dropping to her knees, and collapsing.

If only a talisman was near.

But luckily, the grand master of dark chi floated in the air, cutting through the wind, being protected in a red orb. He was unscathed, clean of snowflakes and the cold. His bubble halted, Wong gazed upon the girl who didn't even make it 50 feet from the castle.

"So, here you are. Without a word from your mouth, you chose to stay at my castle. As you wish," Daolon smirked, the red orb swallowed her, allowing her to float along side him, and back to the castle.

"Gan, Ren, Chui!"

Rising like blooming leaves of darkness, the three subjects appeared, catching sight of Jade floating in the air. Finn quickly came closer. Ratso held the child in his arms while Chow took a closer look

"What happened?"

Finn raised a brow," Whatcha do to her?"

"She's… She's-"

Wong stomped his staff.

"Back in my castle!" He shouted," Take her out of my sight. Once she wakes up, she shall be under my control. She was unable to find the non-existing boat," smirking, Daolon looked at his Enforcers," You three will no longer be lonely. Another servant, another victory."

"Well she won't be under control if she's _dead_!"

Daolon sighed," Fine! Clean her up. Send her to the kitchen when you are done."

Quickly getting to work, Chow burned more coals, placing them in a circle around her, then burned more coals. Finn and Ratso shook out the curtains.

In no time at all, Jade began to wake up, moving her finger but unable to move her toes or bend her knees. She rocked her head back and forth.

Her ears and lips were frozen.

"She don't look too good, boys," Finn touched her forehead.

"What else can we do?"

"There's not enough things to burn in this place…"

"Hey, can you hear me?"

Jade moaned," What happened?"

All of them fathered in a circle.

"She can talk!"

"Now she better walk-the-walk!"

"Get her up, she needs to be down in the kitchen in 40 minutes…"

"Why the rush?"

"You heard D. You don't wanna get zapped, right?"

"Right."

"Right."

Finn sighed," Sorry, kiddo. But you need to move. Now. We've done all we can."

"I can't feel my neck," she responded, trying to squirm and get up.

Feeling some strength in her legs, Jade was able to sit up, rubbing her head, then rubbing her hands together.

"That's it!"

"Now get down there before Daolon whacks our heads off!"

Jade groaned," Down where? Why? What's with the curtains around here?"

"To the kitchen."

"What? Whoa!" she was snatched up into Ratso's arms, then carried all the way to the kitchen under his arm, like a football.

All of them entered another room which seemed more like a large dormitory for more than 100 people. So this was it.

There wasn't much in the kitchen.

There was one table in the entire room, and the cupboards were filled with ice and water. Indeed, there was a large fireplace for pots and cauldrons, but there was no wood. Plates and vases lay shattered at their feet. The temperature certainly did not improve, still shedding ice through the open barred window.

Chin slid a finger on the table," There's not even dust in this place."

"No grub."

"No way."

"What does he expect me to do here? Make popsicles?" Jade tapped on a frozen spoon.

"Cook, of course. Prove to me you are a worth servant," responded Daolon Wong, walking in.

All of them jumped; knees trembling. Out of instinct, the three dark chi warriors quickly bowed before their master, their noses touching the floor.

Jade, still shocked and angry, stood there.

This place was so suited to his liking. Like a chameleon, Daolon Wong easily blended into the surroundings, his silver hair to the ice and snow, as well as his eyes and his long black robes.

"Cook with what? Water? The icicles from my nose? Tch!" Jade pointed at her nose," Are your eyes not working? There's nothing here!"

"My dinner shall be complete in 30 minutes. I expect a fine plate…" Daolon walked through the doors, then turning back to them," Once you are finished with my meal, you may join me. My warriors will stand guard…"

Finn kneeled up," Whatever you say, D."

"She won't get away."

"Can count on us…"

Wong exited. Jade pouted, kicking the floor.

Kneeling back up, the Enforcers gave a heavy sigh.

"What's with Mr. Impossible over there?" Jade crossed her arms.

Ratso leaned in," He's testing you."

"What?" asked Jade, cocking her head.

All of them kneeled down to her, and began to whisper. The fear was most evident in both the eyes and the voice.

"He's wants to know how you'll conjure up a plan to make food out of nothing."

"If you fail, it's the dungeons…"

"But if you pass, he knows how resourceful you are. He's seeing what he's up against."

"Pretty crafty."

"The devil couldn't have done better…"

Jade looked around helplessly," What am I going to do! If Uncle Jackie doesn't get here, it's 'Adios' for me…"

Finn leaned on the doorframe," We can't help you, either. If Daolon Wong finds out you got help, we all get the boot. Sorry, kitten."

"It's not like we have a choice."

"Obey orders. That's all there is for us."

Jade picked up a pan. Looked at the fireplace and to the empty cupboards. So this was it. Her life had been reduced down to the servant of a powerful dark chi wizard and there was nothing she could do about it.

Admitting it, she would rather be in the castle than out in the snowstorm. It was pure torture being out in the cold. She coughed. If only Uncle Jackie knew where she was. Or if Uncle could make a location spell.

She picked up two rocks," Than I better get started!"

The incomplete moon outside the window of the castle glowed, falling into the main dining hall of Daolon Wong, where he sat waiting for her. His eyes were staring at the kitchen doors, unmoving, and focused.

It had been only one day, and this transformation was taking its toll. The dining hall was not the massive type which could hold a 1,000 people, but a small square of frozen candle wax and silverware. It would have been called Victorian, but it was more ancient and classy than that. As for the transformation, it had begun taking its toll on the wizard. He, Daolon Wong widened his eyes as the doors opened up slowly.

"Ah, finished. More faster than I had expected," Daolon gave a wolf grin," Come to me…"

Jade, with a scowl, brought the plate over.

"Set the plate down…"

She placed it infront of him.

"Now sit."

Jade scooted a chair out and seated herself, crossed her arms, staring in the other direction. For the next few minutes, nothing was said between the two, only the murmuring of the cold. It was the way he sat, waiting for some moment to catch her off guard and do something awful to her.

At last, she growled," Fine! Go ahead! Say I did a bad job as Chef Jade but I don't care! You are not the kind of anti-Uncle that I remember when you were after the talismans, you creep!"

Daolon Wong did not even make a response, not even at his empty plate. Yes, she had done nothing to make him a meal. Symbolizing that she did not care for his being, but would rather suffer some sort of other consequence than dine with him. Another insult, and she delighted in it.

"You want humor? Why don't I get that fork and-"

"SILENCE!"

Jade jumped back in her chair. Daolon Wong's scepter glowed a fierce purple, bringing out the seriousness in his eyes. The chairs as well as the tables began to tremble, interrupted by some invisible dark force. Icicles began to jingle, creating music. Jade coughed, looking back at him.

She raised a brow," What?"

Suddenly getting up from his chair, he stepped at her side. In Daolon Wong's mind, he had failed her, as he had failed himself. Already, this 'transformation' had taken over him completely. All those plans and schemes had put him in an odd spot. He had kidnapped the girl, yes. He had his revenge on the oldest Chan, yes. But he always knew that something else was missing. Now he had found the answer. It was her. The old goat had something he didn't, but now here she is. His niece, Jade. In a strong epiphany, Wong found himself secretly jealous of his happiness.

Yes, Daolon was jealous that the old goat had something to love him back. It was a love irrevocable and precious. Uncle Chan becomes very passionate when it comes to his only niece. Love. It's what he had craved before, but not for the act of revenge. No. But it was the curiosity to see who can really love the unloved. So he had failed himself. He had betrayed his darker half. Daolon Wong wanted to love the child. The transformation was complete. In his own metaphor, it was to clarify the shape shifting of a werewolf. But in vice-versa. So, the beast turned back to a man.

The only last trick was for her to love him back as an Uncle. Not as an anti-Uncle.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Against the acquiescence of her silence still he raved, intending to lecture her until she pronounced him wise. Not only did he want her to see him as wise, but perhaps a little more kinder than he had been before when she had first arrived.

"First, you will never leave this castle. Second, you will never enter any other rooms instead of your own. Third, do not try facing me or engaging me in any battle. You will surely be defeated. Fourth, you will not enter my dormitory under any circumstances at all. All lower floors are strictly forbidden."

Jade crossed her arms." Tch! Don't count on it. You don't own me! Just you wait! Uncle's gonna pull out a spell on you and-"

"ENOUGH!" bellowed the dark wizard," This is my number one rule that you shall never ever disobey!" he leaned in quickly, clenching his teeth," Never-ever-ever-ever mention that name infront of me, again. Or it's the dungeons, you stupid girl! Understand!"

Silently she nodded.

The room turned red, a bleeding red, the color glowing from his scepter.

The eldest Uncle Chan.

How Daolon Wong loathed him completely.

On her face, she was sad, but he quickly dismissed it.

"This is where you shall sleep," he slammed open a door to a small room," You will find everything you need here."

"What about-"

He knocked his staff on her head.

"Ow!"

"Speak when spoken to!" Daolon growled," I will not tolerate such disrespect, especially from a servant!"

She rubbed her head, coughed, and bit her lip.

Jade growled, sitting on her bed," Permission to speak?"

He excused the sarcasm.

"Granted."

"Where's the movies? The television? Radio? A bike? Skates? Laptop? Walkman? And how about some decent furniture in here? Tch! We're not at a Renaissance Fair!"

"You will have furniture when you respond with the respect that I deserve!"

And a love he felt like he deserved.

"Fat chance!" Jade yelled back," What you deserve is a new makeover! How about bringing a little color to this place?"

Wong could not help himself. He looked around and thought about her comment, but there were a few things that he would need to think over. The room was blue, filled with black ice and silver water glowing in moonlight.

Dull.

But nevertheless, the girl did seem to be much happier than being stuck in a tower with coals and curtain blankets. Jade pushed on her legs, skating in a circle on the floor, swinging and twirling.

"Take my word. This place needs to get fixed up. Pronto!"

He groaned.

"For your knowledge, it is nightfall. I shall be meditating! While I am gone, I shall not hear a peep from you. Not a word. Or whisper!" Daolon Wong slammed the door, quickly locked it, and paused.

His legs could not move, so he placed his head on the frame. Her door was solitary, almost saddened by holding a girl prisoner. But no matter.

At last this day was over.

The exhaustion from keeping her by his side was tiring enough as it was. With just the right amount of manipulation, she stayed.

He whispered," Sleep well."

Back in America, in San Francisco, Jackie Chan had finished talking to Captain Black. Angrily, he slammed the phone down. Kicked a chair and glared daggers at his family.

"I am going to look for her. Then I am going to find her. No matter how long it takes. Uncle can you use a spell?"

"Jackie, it is going to take time. Uncle must find new ingredients. Fresh. Tohru, help Uncle pack."

"Where to, Sensei?"

Uncle picked up his blowfish," Where the wind never touches. To the temples of the Ocean of Fire. Rare ingredient in lake. One more thing: Jackie, you must come with me to look for Red Hill plant. One more thing: Jackie, remind Uncle to pack his sunscreen. One more thing: Uncle prays that Jade is alright."

"Thank you, Uncle. I'm going to Section 13 and see if Captain Black-"

Gets whacked on the head!

"Ow!"

"Peh! Technology can not find Jade. How many time must I tell you! Magic must-"

"Magic must find magic."

"So that means…"

Jackie hissed," Daolon Wong."

"My rival. Very powerful dark chi wizard."

Back in Antarctica, Daolon Wong paced back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Looking outside the window a person couldn't tell if it was 12:00 at midnight or in the afternoon, but Daolon Wong still paced.

Exhaustion did tire him, but he still had the energy to think about the girl.

What couldn't he ponder about? Thinking about the rules of life and death, but mostly about Jade. It had been 5 hours since she was put to bed.

"Will she ring for something? Escape? Hm."

There was no knowing what she'll do.

Daolon should've told her what he had meant to say when she was asking her questions.

He wanted to tell her that she could ask for anything, either in the night or in the day, she could come and rouse him, even in his sleep. He would not be angry, but he would be rather pleased if she would trust him to do something.

Once more, he paced.

Walk, turn, then walk again. This would have continued all night if he did not hear a particular sound coming from behind her door.

"Hah! An escape? What might she be doing?"

Opening her door, it wasn't what he thought at all.

She was still in her bed.

But coughing. Her feet rubbed against eachother, and she didn't bluff when she said that the sheets were frozen.

Perhaps his subjects were right, that he was much colder than snow. How cruel he could be?

"Running a rather high fever, I see. Hm. When you wake in the morning, you shall be rid of your illness," he said, his voice echoing.

His clawed fingers sprinkled blue magic on her head, absorbed by her cheeks and nose. Jade shifted, tossing back and forth, coughing and sweating. Her blue hands and face were slowly fading into a warm pink color, banishing the coughs and cold sweat. She laid limp. A blue snake of smoke curled from her lips, escaping from her mouth.

That spell was complete, and her illness was gone but Daolon Wong did not move his hand. Instead, he began to inspect if the spell had done its job.

Her hair was soft as he began to pet her head, feeling her temperature, remembering there was a time when he would despise being touched by the child. His fingers weaved in and out of her hair, rubbing her forehead. Daolon was very, very, very careful not to cut her skin from his talon hands but he was more on the gentle side when it came to removing her hair from her face.

So, from there it began. Her adventure which she so desperately craved had finally come true. Jade woke up the next morning, without a fever, and began to succumb to the cruelty of ice. In the long afternoons, she would become bored, so bored that she would fall asleep in the afternoons and stay up all night. Not bothering to ring for somebody to keep her company, not even the Enforcers.

She wanted to be alone.

But she would attempt to somehow close off the wind which still came through her window with a large closet or a wide curtain drape.

Nothing helped.

The moon, on some nights, seemed to glow evanescently, but beautifully, slowly growing into its full shape. Reminding her of her home back in Hong Kong, with her parents playing games at the table or something.

Days rolled by in puffs of a cold grey sparkle, but she never did see the sun, not anymore. The funny thing was that she couldn't tell if it was morning or not, not even in the evenings. But she discovered that her room got the coldest at night time, reminding her what time it was.

So far so good. For those days she's been captive, the most unusual things began to happen. For instance, Daolon Wong would actually come to her door with a tray of bread and salted pork, set it on her bed, and not say a word.

Next, he would just sit there, without a word of conversation. She ate in absolute silence, finished, and watched him walk out the door with an empty tray. The next time that she would see him was when he would walk into her room in the early mornings, walk around her bed, and go back out the door.

Jade had no idea what he was up to, but it was strange. It even scared her a little, having him watch her with eyes like his. Grey and blue. It was chilling. He locked her door behind him, allowing her to continue her mundane human existence in his castle, cold and still bored.

When she could take it no more, and her fingers cramped up into the raw roots of tree trunks, quickly, she demanded she be released. Her escape attempts for the past 4 days did nothing. It was madness.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Jade yelled," Unlock the door! I can't stand it in here anymore!"

Jade jumped and kicked the door.

"You have no right! I'm freezing in here! Where's the heater! Hello!"

Jade kicked the door knob.

She sighed," Please! I need air! Do you know how hard it is to stare at a wall all day! And not talk to yourself!"

The door flew open, revealing an angry Daolon Wong," What is this I hear? The young Chan wants attention? Well, pray tell, what do you want? A few hugs and kisses from mother and father?" Daolon Wong hissed, coming through the door," Or perhaps to go back to the old goats' shack of common junk? Return back to the life beyond this frost and cold?"

"Listen, I don't-"

He knocked her head with his scepter.

"Ep-Ep! Speak when spoken to!" he growled," For days, I have been watching you."

"No-duh!"

"After what I have done! After what I had put together! All of the times I had fed you! Kept you here in the castle when you try to escape! You brat! Y-You-You have been nothing but selfish!"

Music rips.

Jade's mouth fell open.

"Me!"

Wong pushed her down," YES! Do you have any idea how truly maddening it is to have no idea how…to act…to perform….to be…a certain way you've never been before!" He threw up his hands," It is hopeless! Look at me! What a fool, I have been to think that…" he looked away," I-I should have had you die in the storm!"

Jade stood back up," I haven't done anything! When Uncle Jackie gets here! You are SO in for a world of hurt!"

"I'm not talking about your family, am I? It is you!" he pointed," Nothing but trouble! Nothing but a stupid girl! Nothing but a constant headache! Beating against my skull and my mind!"

There seemed to be a double meaning when he said headache.

Jade inched close to the door.

"I would have you suffer!" Daolon threatened, gripping his scepter.

"Bug off!"

"Ai-YAAH!"

"Me? Moi? I don't think so. You can't prove anything," she crossed her arms, the uncrossed them, finally understanding what he was saying," It was you?"

Wong looked back at her. Jade forgot all about escaping through the door, because the thought of Daolon Wong saving her mind just dominated her every sense. She knew that she had gotten out of the snowstorm, but she did not know that Daolon intentionally saved her on his own.

"You saved me…" Her eyes widened," Uh, thanks? Heh."

Still, Daolon turned his back to her. Even if she did discover that he did save her, it did not banish the feeling that it was a wrong decision to keep her here. She would never understand how much he needed her.

He raised his staff," Get out of my sight."

The wall behind Jade began to tremble as black smoke made a large circle in small twirls, speeding its way into a black hole. Like water, the blackness rippled forming a picture infront of Jade's eyes.

It was home.

San Francisco.

Like a lantern, the portal glowed with sunshine and blue skies and white clouds, making the hairs on her arms prickle. Already it felt a little bit more warm. Jade stepped closer.

"What are you doing? Is this a joke? What dark hocus pocus is this?"

Daolon Wong was so angry that his eyes began to tighten.

"No joke. Get out of my sight. Leave. Do what you chose. I do not care. You have my permission to leave my castle. You are no longer needed. _I was fool to think_…" he trailed off, whispering that last sentence.

Jade stepped close to the portal, dropping to her knees, letting her finger touch the light of the magical doorway.

It zapped, rippled, and it felt…warm.

Undeniably warm.

Just as Daolon Wong said, it wasn't a joke. There were no tricks. This was the bridge connecting this horribly icy fortress to the far away warmth and sunshine streets of San Francisco. Her Uncle's shop. Her home. The feeling of freedom bursted inside her chest, spiraling fireworks, crashing waves, sending off fantastic explosions of thoughts which came rushing to her head.

It told her: Go home. Escape this dismal place of tragic dark magic and this horrible man who held her hostage.

Speaking of which; Daolon Wong was an evil wizard. Yes. Oh yes, he had no heart and his soul was as black as coal. But… then why would he save her? Before she would go home. She wanted answers.

"Alright, let's cut the cheese."

"Hm?"

"What's the deal? No craving for talisman power? No pig blasting eyes? Dragon power? Booster from the rooster?"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Daolon asked, turning back towards her, shocked that she did not merely jump into the portal.

Jade crossed her arms," Why didn't you destroy me when you had the chance?"

"Do you not listen you insolent child! You are free! There is your home! No more than 10 paces away! GO!"

_Don't go._

"Then answer the question. You take me here. Then let me go? What kind of villain are you?"

So, she still saw him as a villain.

Wong clenched his teeth," I will only tell you this, and you shall turn and go back to where you came from."

"I'm not going-"

"You think you know me," Daolon spoke over her voice, still clutching his scepter, his fingers digging into the wood," I am a dark chi wizard, who had abandoned you in the dungeons to freeze to death, and still you clutch to a belief I had another intention than keeping you hostage. We are no longer in a civilized America, attending the streets of maintained traffic, walking on sidewalks by tamed savage killers," his eyes darkened," We are here, in my fortress, in a land of ice. I am the savage killer."

"I don't believe that," Jade whispered.

Daolon growled," You pathetic girl. You have no future here. I had a plan. For you."

"What?"

Jade already knew.

"You are the dust beneath my fingernails. Your pleads are fruitless. I had taken you here to lure your family here, to take back your corpse, while I take the talismans. Darkness would take its reign."

_But you could pull out the devil in me._

"The world wouldn't bow to…a bully."

"Is that what you think of me, child?"

"No. You're worse."

His smile grew," Indeed I am. As for the other villains, all their taunts, all their cruelties, never even dreamed of destroying a child as _pure_ as you…"

"But… you didn't destroy me."

"Only if you were better bait. It seems your family does not care for you. Then you are no use to me. Be gone."

_Stay._

In a word that Jade wouldn't have thought of in a million years it came rushing to her mind, like a rocket hitting the moon for destruction purposes. There was an alternative motive that Daolon Wong kept hidden from her, and it wasn't for the talismans or anything valuable like them.

"You did care for me," she blurted out.

Daolon gasped, quickly looking for a comeback. But nothing came.

"You did care about me. When you saved me. When you rescued me. E-Even…when I was sick. Huh? Isn't that right?"

Daolon Wong felt nearly exposed. The misery and affection that seeped into his eyes did not reflect in his regal posture.

"Then why cast me out now? What's wrong with me?"

_Nothing_, Daolon thought. Absolutely nothing.

"I said and I will say no more: Leave!"

His scepter glowed dangerously red, blood red, painting the walls. Casting ugly shadows over them both.

"I want to make deal with you."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"A bargain? What do you possible have that you could bargain, nothing I assume." Nonetheless, he was intrigued. "Do you?"

"Does this bargain… does it end up in America, where you belong?" _You could belong here._

Jade puffed her chest," It could end with me leaving."

_This life, maybe. Forever._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

The portal still glowed its brilliant summer colors, flashing yellow taxis as they drove by and shimmering with heat on lamp poles and roads. It sizzled. People walked on the sidewalks with sunscreen on their noses and holding beach balls with their ice chests being packed in the car.

"Even now it is not too late," Daolon hissed," Leave, before the doorway closes. Go now! Leave!"

Jade stood her ground," I'm a smart girl, ya know. I got a C- in History once! Betcha I can made a deal with you, chump."

"You interest me. Very well. Continue."

"What's with all the scare tactics? I thought you hated me?"

"I do. That is why I want you to leave."

Jade smiled," How about you come with me to San Fran and I give you your very own vacation! It's a win-win! That way you don't anyone else summer vacation and-"

Daolon smirked," That is no bargain. I have no desires for a vacation! Be gone. Take your filth with you."

"You didn't say please!"

Daolon raised his scepter, glowing blue, casting a levitation spell on her. Lifting her up, dragging her feet towards the door, and back home.

"Whoa!"

Jade fell forward on her hands, clawing at the ground, then glanced back at the dark chi wizard. Her hands were being scraped. No. She couldn't go out like this.

"Wait! I didn't even get to say thank you!"

Daolon paused," Appreciation? For what?"

"For being so good to me. I mean, yea, I was bored, but who's to say that I didn't have my adventure? Thanks Uncle!"

"Adventure?"

Yes, it's what Jade had desired so much for so long. Adventure was her game. It was her true passion. Her life. Her bread and butter. Daolon Wong did capture her, but it was more on the lines of rescuing her from a life of boredom at Uncles Shop. Hearing his constant complaining and doing chores.

It was more exciting staying in an enchanted icy fortress in the middle of nowhere with three stupid guards to watch you and being under the watchful eye of the most powerful and darkest chi wizard ever known to history who intended to keep her as bait for the talismans.

"That's all I wanted to say. See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!"

Jade let go. Sucking her into the wormhole.

The sun hit her arms, making her pale skin glow, as if she was about to burst into flames like a vampire. Goosebumps attacked her arms. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Flashes of green and purple exploded behind her eye lids, making her eyes flutter open, adjusting to the light. The heat warmed her veins, melting the remaining frost on her jacket. She was so happy that she threw off her shoes and ran around in circles barefoot.

"The sun!" Jade yelled, holding her arms in the air," I'm free! Uh-huh! Go Jade! You duh bomb!"

She took off her jacket and swung it in the air.

San Francisco hadn't changed a bit!

She gasped," Uncle Jackie! Uncle and Tohru! Wow… It's past my curfew. I'm about 4 days late. I am _so_ grounded."

Jade ran all the way back home, down the street, across the sidewalk, through the doors of Uncle's Rare Find, up the stairs, bursting through the doors, and into the arms of Uncle Jackie himself.

But her return did not go unseen, because the Dark Chi Wizard was not done with her just yet. Feeling a bit touched, he could not help but keep a feeling to himself. Daolon rolled his hands into tight fists.

She called him Uncle.

Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue, but it was more than nothing he thought. This encouraged him. His scepter didn't hold his full power, but that didn't matter at the moment, because she was all that he needed.

Once again, he floated up to the roof of the shop and watched the young girl bring comfort to her family.

"You should've seen me, Jackie, I was all up in the action!"

"Jade! I'm just glad you are safe," Jackie sighed, hugging her," I promise I'll never let anything else happen to you again."

"Uncle Jackie, I'm fine! I'm here ain't I? So there I was! Trapped in a castle! Nowhere to go! All by myself and-"

"JADE! Uncle need to know where his niece was!"

"No clue."

Uncle rubbed his chin," Hm. Daolon Wong must be very careful this time. Does not want to get caught. Very crafty. This time he use spell of invisibility. My spell and good chi can not find him anywhere. No matter how hard Uncle tries."

"That's yesterday's news! I'm back!"

"Uncle must keep his niece safe. Tohru! Help Uncle with protective spell."

"Coming, Sensei."

Uncle turned around," One more thing: When Jade was gone and Jackie went on frantic search. Tohru and Uncle found Red Hill Plant."

Daolon Wong gasped. It couldn't be.

"Great chi of protectiveness. Good chi. Very good. Powerful."

"Please tell me those aren't what I think they are…" Jade cringed.

Uncle held up an object.

"Ugh! They are!" Jade gasped.

"You're putting your faith into bunny slippers?" Jackie exclaimed.

Uncle smacked his forehead," Never mock the bunny."

"I am not wearing those! It's summer! I'm suppose to be wearing sandals! Not road kill!"

"Now, Jade, this for your own good. Until Uncle can find alternative, you wear these!"

"Awwwwww…"

After a long talk about using the buddy system and curfews Jackie kissed his niece goodnight and sent her to pack her things to travel to Section 13. They would be sleeping somewhere safe tonight.

Safe? Daolon Wong thought not. But lonely? Yes. Already, Daolon Wong could feel the weight of loneliness close its jaws around him. Summoning, his Chi Warriors he ordered them to follow.

"So, the little squeak escaped."

"What's the plan?"

"Kidnap her again, 'eh D?"

He would have to be more careful. Uncle's master did teach him well, but he didn't teach him everything before he was defeated. The Red Hill plant is a very powerful ingredient, but there is a weakness.

Daolon Wong hissed," No."

"No?"

"What do we now then?"

"Silence! Follow her. Once she is alone, call to me. I must go to the Ocean of Fire and find the Black Hill Plant. Once I have the ingredient I desire, there will be no point of return for our little escapee."

"You got it."

"Let's hit it!"

Finn lead the charge down the street, running like duro-cell bunnies, and hopping upon building after building until they found themselves spying on Jackie and Jade entering a phone booth. Jackie seemed to be talking to her about something, but she didn't seem to be paying attention. A door appeared within the wall and they were gone in a blink of an eye.

"Let's bust a leg."

"Disappearing time!"

In another plumage of smoke, the three chi warriors disappeared, reappearing within the walls of Section 13. The cameras on the ceiling beeped with red lights, but the alarm didn't go off. In the shadows, these guys were invisible.

"Uncle Jackie! That's not fair!"

"You were kidnapped! I lost my mind looking for you. My whole world stopped."

"Listen, I appreciate the help and the love, but my curfew can't be at 5:30."

"It's for your own safety, Jade. What would your parents think?"

"They think you've totally lost it!"

"Jade. I'm putting you in a room next to mine. Tomorrow, Captain Black is going to ask you questions about Daolon Wong."

"I already told you. I pancaked that guy. He won't be coming back anytime soon," she smiled.

"Nevertheless. Goodnight, Jade."

"Fine…"

She kicked the dirt.

The next morning, Jade was eating cereal in the kitchen when Captain Black came into the room with two other men. Jackie came in after them and leaned against the door frame.

"Good morning, Jade."

"Morning. Hey, check it out! A toy!" Jade pulled out a little car from the cereal box.

Capt. Black smiled," Jade, these two are my very good friends. Warden Miller and Warden Harper. They want to ask a few questions."

"Questions? What for?"

"Daolon Wong."

They sat down.

"Oh."

"Our prison held him once before. But he escaped, so now we want to know how we can prevent that from happening again once we caught him."

"Unfortunately, our modern security systems can't hold him back."

"Magic must seal magic."

"You're the only reliable resource."

"Can you tell us about him?"

They opened their bags and placed a recording tape on the table. Warden Miller pressed Play and the red button flashed.

"What do you need to know? The guy's berserk! I have to wear these just to be in the safe zone," Jade lifted her feet to show the pink bunnies.

"What about his hideout?"

"I don't know where I was. But it was cold. Freezing! I could see my reflection in my own bed sheet."

"Anything else?"

"That's about it. But he did want to use me as bait."

"We figured. Did he say for what?"

"The talismans, duh! That dude's totally power hungry. But before he said he didn't want to trade me."

"Were there any apprentices?"

"Can we hurry this up? I got a Super Moose Bonanza at 9:45 at the theatres and I don't want to be late."

"This will only take a second. Did he do anything to you? Hurt you? Any affiliation with the supernatural?"

"No."

"Did he allow you to contact the outside world?"

"No."

"Did he threaten you?"

"No."

"Did he leave you any clue of his next plot?"

"No."

"Alright, that will help us. For now."

"We appreciate your time. Enjoy your breakfast."

The three of them left, but Jackie stayed behind and sat down infront of Jade.

"Now that they're gone, can you take me to the theatres Uncle Jackie?"

"No, Jade."

"Uncle Jackie! This isn't right! I'm back! What's the big deal!"

"The big deal is that you could've gotten hurt. Thankfully, you weren't. You are going to stay here for the rest of the summer."

"Jackie!"

"When I get back, those slippers better be on your feet."

"Where are you going?"

"To my real job."

"Uncle Jackie! The Moose Bonanza is a once in a lifetime thing!"

"You're a once in a lifetime thing. I can't have my only niece get hurt. Stay here," he petted her head and walked out of the door.

Jade grunted.

She never got her way.

"Bet Daolon Wong doesn't have to be cooped up in one room all day long…" Jade looked around and smiled to herself," What Jackie doesn't know. Won't hurt him. I'll only be gone for at least 2 hours."

She jumped down and went to the East Wing and swung a rope onto the ceiling. Climbing her way up into the air vents, she crawled into the room where the Talismans were being kept safe.

"Check and," she jumped down on the floor," mate."

The security code was still locked. The only trick was to figure out what the code was.

Luckily, she was good with puzzles.

"Hm. Captain Black's birthday?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeep.

"No. How about Jackie's birthday?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeep.

"What about my birthday?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeep.

"Ugh! Stupid science nerds. Always making it difficult. Why couldn't this be a tic-tac-toe puzzle? Hm. Um, the animal zodiac?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeep.

"Gah! What about Uncle's birthday?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeep.

"Super Moose?"

Beep. Beep. Beep. BEEP.

"Yes! Super Moose, you the man!" Jade exclaimed, getting the snake talisman, the monkey talisman, dragon talisman, and the rooster talisman.

She quickly flew through back through the air vents and into the main hallways.

Then quickly jumped into the elevator.

"T Girl is back!"

The Dark Chi Warriors were hiding behind the dumpsters in the back of the theatres, waiting for the child to come back out. They've been waiting for nearly 3 hours. At last, Jade emerged with the exiting crowd holding a stuffed Super Moose and sipping on a soda.

"My life is complete!" she exclaimed, walking onto the sidewalk.

Finn ducked down," Here's our chance boys."

"What's with the slippers?"

"Shh!"

Jade threw her cup away. Feeling lazy and relaxed, she began to walk back home with her stuffed animal.

She had no idea she was going to be ambushed.

"Easy."

"Ready!"

"Set!"

"GO!"

Darting from the shadows, they charged, hands stretched out to grab their victim! Jade looked around her shoulder too late as she was snatched up in their arms, being carried away down the street and towards the park.

"Hey! Lemme go!"

"No way, Daolon said you'd cause a scene."

"Now, you're comin back with us!"

Jade's hand slipped into her pocket and dug around for the most useful power that could help her. The snake? No, they already have her in their clutches. The rooster? No, it'll catch to much attention.

"Hah! Found it! Oh, boys!" Jade cooed," Lookie what I have here!"

"It kinda looks like…"

"No!"

"Dragon talisman!"

"Eat heat beam!" Jade yelled, sending a large beam, blasting them into the wall of a building.

People screamed and ran, fleeing the scene as Jade got out the other talismans and put them to good use. Snake. Monkey. Rooster. Dragon. Chow was the first to get up, running up to her to send high kicks and fast fists, but it was no match for the invisibility of the snake.

"Now you see me! Now you don't!"

Chow looked around, then- WHAM! A punch sent right to the face. Ratso jumped over Chow and swung his large fists around. He kicked up the dirt, saw the outline of her body and grabbed a hold of her leg.

"Let go!" she yelled.

Ratso pulled and pulled!

"Tiger!"

He wasn't holding a little girl anymore, but a rather large and angry tiger! The biggest of the cats. It's teeth snarled at him, snapping, and growling. Ratso soon returned to being smoke after Jade bit his neck. Chow came after her again. Finn at his side. Jade jumped off the ground, flew into the air, and sent both of them the dragon blast. No longer a tiger, she sent more dragon blasts in their direction.

Destroying pavement! Sending fire hydrant lids flying into the air. Water sprinkled everywhere, creating large pools of soot and dirt rushing down the street in little streams. Fire trucks came rushing in at the scene. The smoke cleared. Finn brushed the trash off his chest and arms. He took out his weapon as did Chow and Ratso.

"Time to turn up the heat!"

"Bring it!" Jade insisted, flying high with hands on her hips.

"Hah!" Finn launched his weapon!

Chow and Ratso followed ranks and the sledge hammer and stick came zooming in on both sides, going faster and faster and faster. The razor blade was coming even faster! Jade flipped up in the air, jumping out of the way. But with the mind control weaponry, it followed her.

"Whoa!"

She looked up, at the sun, to the clouds and flew higher and higher. She slipped through the clouds, feeling the moisture in her hair and smudge in her eyes, nearly blinding her with colors of white and grey. Her lungs cracked at every breath of air that was forced into her body.

"No! No! No!"

She could see the stars getting brighter, glimmering exactly like diamonds. Still, the well polished weapons followed her. It's getting cold. The air grew tight like a bow string. Jade kept flying, pushing her arms up and down, like she was swimming in water. Fly like a bird! Escape. Escape. Uncle Jackie! Help! The razor blade softly licked at her shoes. Faster! Faster! The weight of gravity became heavier and heavier, pushing down on her arms and legs like giant sacks of potatoes. It's getting cold. Like the sound of a helicopter in the air, the weapons still did not stop! Then she felt it.

"Daolon Wong…"

He was there infront of her, holding his scepter with no expression on his face but his robes and his silver hair were floating. The sound of silence screamed in her air as Daolon Wong took her hand and slowly lead her back to earth. The stars and ice intertwined themselves in cradles among the clouds, heating silver buds, allowing rain to fall on their heads.

It was a warm rain, being sprayed with beams of sunlight. In a fog of his blue smoke, they traveled out their non-gravity world and to safety where no weapon would touch her.

"Come."

Was what he said.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I have saved your life."

"Why?"

At last, in the pouring rain, they were back on earth. The dangers were gone. Jade stood there looking at Wong with the most studying eye she has ever given anyone in her entire life. Through the days she had faced Daolon in the past, she had never seen him so composed and calm all at once. It had been more than 2 minutes and she didn't hear words like _I shall destroy you _or _I am here for the talismans_. But none came. He was either bloodthirsty or angry, craving the death of anyone near. It was almost a gut feeling she had when she looked at him. Like a cat's sixth sense, she felt no danger with him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

"Don't you love the smell of _confusion_ in the morning?"

Daolon didn't respond. But instead found himself thinking of what was sitting before him.

How peculiar of him.

A child, the niece of his great nemesis, sitting on the edge of a building with her legs dangling down and talking to him about how strange it was to be so close to a very dangerous man. It was peculiar because she had not run away or even tried to call for help.

"You know what I always thought? That this was totally illegal, but that's not if anyone catches you," Jade smiled.

Taking another bite of her nutrition bar, she took another look across the wide country. Never has she been so high up in the air before, sitting inches away from a ledge with a man who wanted her family gone.

"Besides being a thousand feet from death, I actually like it here," she took another bite, with a hard crunch," Ouch! My jaw."

She rubbed her cheek.

On her cheek, were a few scratch marks covered with a small bruise. Soon, perhaps tomorrow, the bruise would bloom entirely. Daolon Wong clutched his scepter with a passion.

"**Fools**. They were _not_ ordered to attack you."

"Tch! I can take care of myself! Even without the talismans…" Jade looked at Daolon Wong," But that doesn't mean I'm giving them up. At all. Anytime soon. To anyone."

Once again, he was silent, looking at her, then gazing in the other direction. His eyes held something heavy and thoughtful. She wasn't stupid. She noticed this and it began to spark her curiosity.

"You know… It's been about an hour, now." She referred to the time.

Daolon Wong looked back at her. Putting all foolishness behind.

"It has been 1 hour and 3 minutes and 43 seconds…" Daolon Wong whispered softly," To be _precisely correct_."

She glared.

"It speaks."

Jade tapped her fingers together.

There seemed to be a problem.

"So?"

Daolon Wong looked back at her, but from the corner of his eye he knew that she seemed to be nervous.

"Um…"

There was absolutely nothing to talk about.

That's what the problem was.

Now, Jade wasn't a shy girl, but she did seem to notice that Daolon Wong wasn't going to be the conversation starter.

But with his posture, he was in no mood for talking.

Time to break the ice.

"Protein?" she offered half of the snack bar.

Daolon Wong glanced at the offer, suddenly began to stare at it for the longest time, before Jade cleared her throat.

But that did not even break his intense gaze at the snack bar, so instead of accepting her small peace treaty he lifted the snack bar. Not physically, but it floated in the air.

"You think I am still after the talismans, girl?"

"Not really."

That caught him off guard.

Who was she! Had the obvious slipped her mind! Perhaps she was just another foolish child.

But this wasn't the time to get angry, this was the time to finally make a breakthrough. Daolon Wong turned towards her, with no expression, but with a more kinder voice.

"Jade."

He spoke her name for the first time.

"Perhaps… I did not want the talismans. Perhaps… it is not my place to be your enemy."

"Huh?"

"There shall be no alliance with your family. Still, the good wizard and I will forever be enemies. I just need you."

"Me?"

"The warriors were never commanded to _attack_ you, but to bring you to _me_."

"Aren't I important!" Jade laughed.

"You are."

Once again Jade floated up in the air, flying around in little circles. She floated towards him.

"So what's the deal?"

He stood up.

"Whoa! I didn't mean an actual-"

He was leaving.

"Hey! Wait! What do you need me for?"

The moment of truth.

He sighed," I am still cursed."

"Huh?"

Emotion expanded over his face.

"Perhaps you remember the Three Wise Monkeys?"

"Yea. I went deaf that day. Uncle Jackie was mute and Tohru was blind. I wasn't handicapped. I was handicapable."

"Even being _handicapable_ will not help me… It is nearly the full moon and my dark magic is not enough for the forces of good chi and dark chi. The _balance_ is too great to tamper with," he paced towards her," This is where you are involved, child. Talismans are no use to me if I am blind, deaf, and mute."

"Whoa… Sucks for you. So you want me to help you when you're blind, deaf, and mute? Hm. What do I get? Big bucks? Check? Cold hard cash?"

"Eternal punishment if you leave me to this cursed life! I must find a counter-curse."

"Huh? What about Finn? Ratso and Chow?"

"You expect me to trust them with my life?"

She blinked.

"Good point. Ok! I've made my decision!" she took in a gulp of air," No. After you tried to hurt Scruffy, Royal Medicine, and Sasha… there's no way I'm falling for it. Even after the incident in your castle, too. Duh."

That hurt more than he thought it would.

So be it.

Without another warning, Daolon Wong disappeared in his cocoon of smoke, leaving Jade to fly back home on her own. Jade shrugged, taking the talismans back to Section 13 and walking back home.

In her stomach, she knew it was wrong to reject him. She actually felt…sorry for him. The Enforcers would absolutely betray him when he would see become blind, mute, and deaf. Even destroy him.

She felt guilty for leaving him.

Soon she would suffer the consequences.

The next day, Jade went to a Balloon Festival. This Festival only happened for three each year.

Tohru accompanied her.

The day was perfect. The perfect sunshine which held the perfect temperature. Perfect food and music. People crowded the streets and the park with kites, barbeques, and with their own little balloons.

Dragons, fireflies, birds, and butterfly balloons were floating up in the air. Jade held an ice cream cone which began to quickly melt in the sunlight. There was games and contests.

Sweat began to clog under her neck at her collar, so she was lucky to bring a bag to carry her orange sweatshirt. Revealing a white tank top underneath. Tohru took out his cellphone from his breast pocket.

"Jade. Uncle Jackie has left a voicemail for you. Here."

Jade took the phone. It left a voicemail explaining how she must be careful to not let Daolon Wong come anywhere near her. If there is any trouble, then she shouldn't hesitate to call him or Uncle at any time. In an hour he would come there himself to enjoy the festivities and watch over her.

Tch!

Too late for that.

"As if, Uncle Jackie…"

Devouring all the ice cream, she started off towards a Crafts stand to decorate her own balloon.

"I'll be here Tohru," she waved, getting a can full of paint.

Her creative mind has set out to paint the balloon into an eye ball. A blue eye with big popping red veins.

It scared all the other children.

"Sickness!" she yelled, running around with a balloon.

"Jade, stay where I can see you!" called Tohru.

"Are you kidding? How am I suppose to show off my third eyeball without some speed?"

Tohru followed her," Jade? Not too far!"

As always, she didn't listen. Unfortunately, her shoelace caught a hold of a safety belt on a popcorn cart. It yanked forward on her shoe and she tripped.

"Ow!" she sat up," Uh-oh…"

The cart began to roll by itself in the opposite direction of its seller, but down a hill.

"Oops…"

People yelped and jumped out of the way. In the sky, balloons floated up to the sky, being suddenly released by children who screamed, dodging the popcorn cart.

"Move!"

"Get out of the way!"

"Run!"

It gained speed, swooshing all the way into a police car! Out of ALL the cars parked on this side of town, it just had to be a police vehicle.

"Uh oh. Need to bust a move, send me a check, thank you!" she ran!

There was no way she was going to tell Tohru about this! He would tell Uncle Jackie! No doubt. Then she'll never be able to enjoy her summer vacation.

The police officers gathered around their vehicle, scratched their heads, and looked around to see the who looked the most guilty.

Jade, who was out of sight by now, looked up to the sky to see a tiny balloon floating around in the air.

"Awww…" she groaned.

Her masterpiece was gone.

So, she started over. Innocently going back to the Crafts stand and making another balloon, but with clown designs painted onto it. She had no idea that she was being watched.

Daolon Wong was on top of a roof of a skyscraper. Floating up in the air, hovering and watching her tiny body wander about the Festival. He wasn't the kind of man to give up on something he wanted. Especially if he wanted the love of a niece. She was stubborn.

"The girl is here."

Finn, Ratso, and Chow looked down.

"Hey! What a day, huh?"

"Better than Ice Palace…"

"Is that an eye ball? Yuck!" commented Ratso as an eye ball balloon floated past their heads.

Daolon Wong raised his scepter.

"Idiots. Bring me the child. Do not injure her! Do not harm her! Or you will suffer a punishment far worse than-"

"What's the deal? She doesn't have the talismans."

"Yea, so what are we-"

"SILENCE! You are not to ask questions! I am your master! Now go!"

The three Enforcers were suddenly disguised in human robes, but not as citizens, they were disguised as policemen. The only way that someone could notice was their body shape. One was big with broad shoulders, a small one, and a tall thin policemen. The Enforcers moved into the crowd.

"Jade. How many balloons must you have?" asked Tohru as Jade came up walking with about 10 balloons in her hand.

"I'm on a mission to float away to a waterfall island and to find a rainbow bird and own a talking dog!"

"Excuse me, miss? You're car is parked in a No Parking Zone. Come with us," asked Finn tipping up his cap, his hand on his gun belt.

Jade looked up to three policemen who looked very _peculiar_.

"I'm not old enough to drive. Duh!"

"Oh…"

"Well, uh…"

"The main idea is that-"

"You're under arrest!" Chow pulled out his handcuffs.

Tohru grabbed his hand," May I ask what she is in trouble for?"

"None of our business!"

"Stand back! Or we'll have you arrested!"

"What are you? Some ex-criminal?"

"Yea, you an ex-criminal? We can take you to prison, ya know!"

"Back off!"

That got Tohru's attention, but nonetheless, he pushed Jade behind him.

"I must know what you want her for then…" he insisted.

The three glanced at eachother.

"Get her!"

Like holding a rockstar, the Enforcers held her up in the air, carrying her through the crowd, pushing and shoving! Tohru gasped and quickly followed! But not before Finn and Ratso pushed over a cotton candy cart, capturing the attention of a million children!

"No! Jade!"

More children swarmed.

"Wait!"

"Tohru!" she yelled.

"Jade!"

Tohru didn't want to squish anyone, so he slowly stepped over all of them. Cotton candy was everywhere. Clouds of cotton candy!

"Jade?"

She was gone.

"How will I explain this to Chan?" he asked himself.

A 12 year old getting arrested for nothing?

He'll never hear the end of it.

At the stroke of 12 in the afternoon, all the balloons were released! Swarming into the air, covering the sun, and floating like bubbles over the skyscrapers. Thousands of rainbow colors glowed off the skin of each rubber bubble, reflecting off the windows of every building in the city.

Although Daolon Wong was certainly not impressed. His dark chi was not phased by this happy social gathering. His warriors appeared, walking through the rooftop doorway to reveal a sleeping Jade in their arms.

"Here ya go, boss!"

"Just as you ordered! One little Chan!"

"Quiet!" Daolon Wong shouted," The full moon is tonight! I will be vulnerable once again until the next rising full moon. We must take to the mountains. The girl will stay with me. Leave us!"

In a swoosh, they disappeared.

"Now, we must take our leave, little Chan," he whispered to the sleeping child," Soon, you will learn that _I mean no harm_…"

Like shadows, he disappeared back to another place. The swimming rainbow colors were gone, being replaced by the darkness of a hallway. In another castle. There were so many abandoned places he knew and none of them suited his dark ways than this well hidden palace.

Jade floated in the air, automatically following him through the hallways. Daolon Wong went into his main room, decorated with rugs, spell books, cauldrons, and a meditation area.

He coughed.

This place has been neglected for too long.

"Sleep. Sleep, little one… You will have no choice but to stay here with me. Once you see that I am defenseless and powerless, there will be nothing to fear. Though of course, you will hate me…"

Later that night, Daolon Wong waited for the worst. He stood at his open window with his scepter in hand, his discolored eyes gazing out to the orange full moon. It looked like a shiny penny. Rats scurried across the floor. Cobwebs slipped off their perch in a silent hover.

"It is time…" he whispered," The good wizard thinks he has everything in the world at his fingertips. The good chi wizard believes he has found happiness. Well, no more! It is my chance."

He turned towards Jade.

"I am successful. There is no escape for you. Is this all that I need? It can not be! Bah!" he threw his arms up.

Tables were thrown over.

Furious, he kicked the tables.

"It is still not enough! I have the girl. She is with me. What does the good chi wizard know that I do not? Perhaps, only time will tell…"

He looked back at Jade, who squirmed on the floor.

She would wake in the morning.

"A spell will do you good, little Chan."

Daolon Wong was no fool. She was a crafty and deceiving young child. His scepter bursted with blue colors. Lightening zapped the walls, thrashing in an orb, sending friction to other objects.

"As long as I am here, you will _never_ leave this castle. A prisoner, yes. Only once I can see, hear, and speak again will you leave…" he whispered," If you _chose_ to…"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"What the…?" Jade mumbled, getting up off the ground.

Opening her eyes, she gasped. Brick walls. Moth balls! Cobwebs! There's no way that she ended up back here again!

"Uh oh… No! I can't be back here! Tohru!" she yelled.

The doors were all locked. There was no snowstorm outside, so that gave some little relief.

"Hello? Anyone there?" she called out," Where are the Enforcers?"

Finally after much consideration, she began to explore every corner of the room. That's when she found something very interesting. A figure sat in the darkness and there was an obvious answer of who it was.

"I knew it! It was you! What is it now? I have no talismans!" Jade growled at Daolon Wong.

He sat in the darkness while she paced back and forth. He almost seemed to be meditating.

"Listen, Dark chi-wiz, you're gonna let me go and we can all forget about this whole thing. Just take me back home. Poof. You're gone! You can't just…" she trailed off.

He didn't move.

"Hello! What am I? Invisible?"

She waved her hand infront of his face.

"Oh, now that's just rude! I'm talking here! Why are you ignoring me?"

At last when the moonlight faded into the room, Jade gasped and couldn't believe that his eyes were white. Usually they were blue and grey, but they were white, and why wasn't he talking to her?

"Hello?"

Being a bit more gentle and cautious, Jade waved her hand infront of his face. Then she clapped her hands together, his head did not respond to the noise. Daolon Wong just sat there, as if waiting for something else to happen. Apparently, he was true to his word when he said that he required her help.

"It is true… The Curse of the Three Wise Monkeys. So you weren't bluffing."

She circled around him, finding it hard not to play with him a bit. She wanted to tug on his hair and poke him with the scepter.

But she was a nice girl, even too nice for her own good. He would obviously kill her if she tried anything funny. Further into her examination, she remembered what the Three Monkeys represented.

"You can't see me. You can't hear me. You can't talk to me."

Daolon Wong didn't move.

Not even a wince. Jade sat down infront of him with a small frown, and thinking about what she got herself into. Sure he was a dark wizard, but he did need help. An ugly headache was soon pounding in her skull, begging for her to look deeper into her thoughts. She wasn't ready to let him know that she was there, so she quickly got up and ran out of the room.

"Please let there be cellphone service!" she flipped her phone from her pocket. "It would be very cool if there's reception."

But what do you have when you try to find cellphone service in a Dark Chi Wizard's Castle? Absolutely nothing.

"Well, duh! What am I suppose to do now? I wanna blow this taco stand… But…" her thoughts traveled back to him.

This was sticky situation.

He was old, he had no magic, and he was handicapable. But he would have to train very hard to be able to see with his mind's eye. What would Uncle Jackie do?

Too bad, so sad? No. He's not that cruel.

Jade was the type of girl to help out the innocent and punch the forces of darkness in the face, but this…was a game changer.

"Time to face the music…" she whispered to herself.

Returning back to the room, Daolon Wong still sat in his seat turning his head from side to side, trying to detect anything he could recognize.

"Alright," she rolled her eyes," I'm here."

Her hands touched his arm.

Flinching, Daolon Wong quickly jumped up, ready to defend himself. But recognizing the flesh of her skin and the soft texture of her sweater, he found himself sitting back down.

"Let the games begin…!"

Indeed, the games did begin that day,

First, Jade lead him to the main master bedroom. Taking his hands, she placed them on the sheets and pillow. But he refused by the simple wave of his hand. Daolon Wong grabbed her elbow and waved his hands around.

"What! I can't understand you. You're gonna have to-uh- wave better."

He raised two fingers.

"Uh, two words."

He raised two other fingers.

"Um, is it four words? No! Four syllables? Ugh, what are syllables? Hmm, should've paid more attention in school."

Daolon Wong rubbed his stomach.

"You're gonna hurl?"

His finger pointed to his mouth.

"Hungry! You're hungry! Hah! Ok… um, where's the kitchen? Tch! Does this place even have a kitchen?"

He didn't respond.

"Oh, duh! Don't answer that…"

Once more she took his hand and lead him down different hallways. At last she found the kitchen. It was like traveling though thin narrow tunnels and coming up into a large cave.

"Wow! This place has the word 'Party' all over it. Ok. Come over here. Sit. No, sit down. Look, here's the chair and you need to sit down. No that's the table! Sit down. There, now relax and let me do all the work…"

Turning around, Jade quickly went to work.

The word 'work' wasn't quite the appropriate word, but more like hard labor. It was so much better getting out cereal and a jug of milk out. It was easier.

But this was difficult, but Jade soon discovered that making burnt meat was better than making one of those fancy breakfasts she sees so much on TV. She presented her meal.

"It is perfect-O! Try it."

With his sense of smell, Daolon Wong searched for the plate. His hands picked up the piece of meat and took a bite.

"Yum! It's all part of a healthy-"

He spat it out.

If he hadn't been mute, then he would've yelled out all sorts of profanities! But yet, he was more silent than a grave yard.

"Ugh! I can't hear you! Duh!"

Daolon Wong threw the plate across the room and began to tremble with fury, shaking his fists and stomping his foot into the ground.

"What more do you want?"

In the mean time, Uncle and Tohru were back in the shop packing their belongings and spells and ready to head to the airport. Jackie had already gone ahead and searched the Jade to where the location spell had told him to go.

It was Alaska. Somewhere deep in the wilderness. Very deep. Daolon Wong hidden his castle within a powerful invisible shield, and Uncle Chan was the only person to break through it.

Tohru was still a little blue after his failed attempt, but Uncle told him not to lose faith…. After he smacked him on the forehead first.

"Worry not, Tohru. Uncle may be old, but still able to defeat Daolon Wong."

"What about the Jackie? What about-"

"Nephew not important right now! Finding Daolon Wong and rescuing niece."

"Are there any reasons why he kidnapped Jade?"

"Only way to find out. Ask Daolon Wong himself OF COURSE!"

"Sensei. What shall we bring?"

"Everything! Uncle must be ready."

If Tohru were to guess what Daolon Wong had wanted with Jade, it probably would've been for talismans. Of course Uncle would go after Jade anyway, even if it meant that Daolon Wong would have the talismans. In all his time that he spent with Uncle, this was the most foolish thing he had ever done.

But it was Jade. Everybody loved her, and everybody would do their best to make sure that she was ok.

"Come, Tohru! The flight awaits."

"Sensei, you do know that this might be a trap-"

SMACK!

"Of course Uncle knows! Do you see Uncle grabbing all the talismans and gift wrapping it all for Dark Chi Wizard! NO! So stop complai-NING!"

"Jade is…"

"Jade will be alright. When arriving in Alaska, help Jackie, and get niece. Uncle would like few words with foe."

Back at the castle, Jackie Chan was climbing the wall of the cliff, using his hands as clamps. He climbed over.

He saw a huge lake. It almost looked like the ocean. Pulling out his locating device, the magic detector buzzed and glowed. It pointed at the lake. It jumped off of his hands, flew in the air, and headed towards the trees.

"Jade! Jade! Where are you! Can you hear me!"

There was no response.

But the trees began to tremble. A white light began to glow and move, like car lights hovering past.

"I am near."

In the castle, Jade had finally managed for Daolon Wong to drink a cup of tea. It was difficult recognizing the different bottles between poison and tea, but she managed to figure it out. Daolon Wong was finally satisfied.

For the moment he was.

After a long moment, Jade ventured back to the main bedroom where she rolled back the covers and urged Daolon to sleep. But yet, he was stubborn and would not get into the bed. She was tired out of her mind, so why wasn't he?

"Oh come on! I'm tired! I need my beauty sleep and you're not really in the position to give orders here!"

With a motion of his hands, he folded his fingers in together and crossed his legs as he sat down.

"Meditating?"

With no other hesitation, Jade went to the room next door. There was no bed, only a couch and a very large fireplace with a pile of books on top. Jade didn't mind and she had no idea what was going through Daolon Wong's mind when he would deliberately burn books in a fireplace, but she was tired and went straight to sleep.

But unbeknownst to her, rats were on parole, running alongside the walls and into different rooms. The large gaps between the door and the floor were big enough to allow them to slip through undetected. A few rats came undetected into the room of Daolon Wong, hiding under dressers and cabinets and bookshelves. Their appetite was a long and deep one, wanting flesh more than cheese.

What some people didn't know was that Daolon Wong was sleeping, and he had slept like the way he was for many years. His work and thirst for meditation and study of dark chi forces ruled over his whole life, and that's the way it has been since.

His meditation went uninterrupted for a few more minutes until a rat climbed onto his leg. The rat planted a nasty bite on his ankle.

Jumping up into the air with a soundless HOWL Daolon Wong grabbed his ankle and jumped back onto a bookshelf. Books and vases and candles came tumbling down on his head. Smashing and crashing! The rats scattered! Back underneath the doorway and into the hallway and running past Jade's door.

"W-What was that?" she mumbled, half-yawning.

Once entering Daolon Wong's room, Jade found herself a little anxious to be around the Dark Chi Wizard because he was throwing his hands up in the air and grabbing hold of his leg and yelling out silent curses.

He jumped on one leg until he couldn't jump no more and sat on the floor and began to crawl.

"What happened?" Jade kneeled infront of him.

Daolon flinched as her hand touched his face but recoiled as Jade lead him back to her room and onto the couch. He was still furious, gripping her arm and communicating to her to never leave him alone again.

She objected nicely, not wanting to be alone in this cold castle too. Jade locked the door and examined him. It only took a second to realize what the problem was. His ankle was badly bitten, possibly infected, and it left a small trail of blood from his room to her room.

"Oh no! If only I had the horse talisman then we'd be okay. Are there any band-aids here?"

There was no medication supply.

Jade quickly took off her own sweater and placed it over his injury.

"Ok. You can stay here, I'll sleep on the floor."

Before she fell asleep herself, she plugged the gaps in the doorways and made absolute sure that no rats would come in. When she turned around, Daolon Wong was already sleeping. Once more, he looked like he was meditating but made it quite clear he was sleeping, when his breathing was slow.

"Night-night, sleep tight."

Curling up on the floor, Jade took out her cellphone and browsed through her photos of her family back home. She wasn't quite tired, yet. Her digital casted a blue light across the ceiling.

Uncle Jackie was waving her to her and smiling, that was when it was Chinese New Year and they were all out having dinner together. The next picture was taken on the Fourth of July and Uncle Jackie was sleeping on the couch with a small drool line running from the corner of his mouth. The flash laminated his entire face and it made Jade giggle every time she looked at it.

The next picture captured the moment when a spell exploded in Tohru's face and Uncles faces. The next picture showed Uncle yelling at Tohru. The next picture held the shocked and sheepish look on Uncle's face when Tohru's spell had actually _worked_. The next picture was of Jade with her parents back in Hong Kong, in the living room and smiling together.

She didn't jump to the next photo after that.

Her face in the photo was…happy and complete.

"I miss you guys…" she whispered.

It was a picture perfect moment and she missed them. She wished that they could come out to America and live there, but they would rather stay home. Jade understood, but sometimes she felt lonely without them. She had Uncle Jackie and the others, but it didn't seem to be… the most functional family she's ever known.

The night continued to be long, sad, and lonely. Her battery was slowly dying. Shutting it off, Jade put both hands behind her head and looked up at the ceiling. It was one of those nights where you think about your life. Your entire life and the meaning of life and everything else that came with it.

What if this was her destiny?

To belong to one world and forever be lonely in school?

Yes, it did depress her Jade sometimes. She wished she wouldn't be called a freak in school. Wouldn't be called a liar. Wouldn't be called a loser. No one would listen to her and no one would give her a chance to prove that she had been telling the truth all along. Even her teachers thought that she was a _little girl _who loved to play with imaginary demons and ninjas and dragons and wizards and flying masks. Speaking of which! Wizards.

Jade looked over to Daolon Wong again. He was still sleeping. Now, Jade wasn't an emotionally deep person but if she were to guess what kind of man Daolon was… he would be as lonely as she was. If she could backtrack everything she knew about him, he could possibly agree.

He was weak and hated, even hated by his own warriors, he was hated by Uncle and Jackie and Tohru and everybody else in the world who knew the name Daolon Wong. Even Santa probably hated him. His crazy obsession with thrusting the world into darkness had pushed him to his limits, and when he was pushed too far, he paid the price. He could not hear her, see her, or talk to her.

Jade crawled up and sat next to him, and blushed. She couldn't believe she was going to do this.

It's not like he knew what she was going to do anyway.

"So…" Jade whispered," I guess I have no choice but stay here with you, don't I?"

He still floated in the air, sleeping/meditating.

"Just because you can't talk, doesn't mean that I have to stop talking. I can talk all night and you wouldn't know, would you?"

She glanced at him.

"But that's fine. I've got more fish to fry. Speaking of which. Fish? Meat? Fruit? I've got some serious midnight munchies."

Turning towards him, she continued.

"Well, so much for a _boring_ vacation. This summer I was suppose to visit my parents and go to Mooseworld and doing all sorts of other fun stuff. But we have all the talismans. No more 'active' bad guys around anymore…"

Daolon Wong did flinch, causing him to stir, but he did not wake. Somewhere in his subconscious, he was very fascinated. In his mind's eye, he knew that she was doing _something_ and he knew that it involved _him_. It's a dream, he thought to himself. But he was very much wrong. What he didn't know was that she was _talking_ to _him_. If he knew that she was talking to him like a niece would to an uncle, then he would have found his entire plot a success.

Jade continued to talk and talk and talk about her childhood and her lack of skills in school and the bullies that always laughed at her during lunch and her mean teachers and Uncle Jackie's missions and the dangers she faced when she always went with him.

Jade found herself comfortable in his presence, even going so far as to lean towards him a little.

She even told him about her first crush on a boy at school.

Uncle Jackie wouldn't have ever understood that.

She never talked about it with anybody before.

Making this a very rare evening.

"I had a crush on this one boy named Seymour and he came to school when the bullies were teasing me about going to a dance alone. For the first time, he actually listened to me and I felt like I was on top of the world! We would go everywhere with eachother and play videogames and read comic books and go rollerblading down the street. But good things never last…" she looked up at the Dark Chi Wizard and looked away with a heated blush," I wanted to ask Uncle Jackie what it felt like to be in love and to feel a flutter in your stomach and I wanted to know what it was like for a boy to like you back. But for a boy to actually _like you-like you_…"

In the end, Jade felt as if she talked about her _whole_ life. To a man who wasn't listening. To a man who was the most malevolent Dark Chi Wizard on earth, but a man who stayed with her the entire time she. Once Jade felt that she had spoke about everything, she still continued to rave. Going onto different stages of conversation and different scenarios in her daily life.

"I'm _angry_ when the bullies at school push me around and they take my books and play 'Monkey In The Middle' until they're torn. Then the teachers yell at me, send a check home to pay for school property, and Uncle Jackie yells at me more!"

"I'm _sad_ when the other girls call me ugly. They say my eyes are too close together and my hands are like lobster claws. They once sprayed ketchup at me in class. The ketchup was squirted from the little bags and did the teacher notice? No! Then when a girl tripped down the hallway, she blamed it on me, and I was the one who got in trouble! I didn't do anything."

"I was _happy_ when I was back in Hong Kong, but I was even happier when I was with Uncle Jackie. My life changed entirely! Mooseworld! San Francisco! Section 13 and all the talismans made it a roller coaster ride! It couldn't get better than that! There was no way it could! Tch, but I was wrong…"

Her smiling face slowly fell to a frown, as she thought about the more complex things. She looked up at Daolon Wong.

"Do you know the hardest part? The hardest part that I had to deal with?"

Moment of truth.

"It was the… bottle… that I kept my feelings in. I know. I know! Cheesy! Confusing! Sorry! But it's true."

There was a strange awkward moment of silence.

Jade curled down on the floor again and put her head on a pillow, giving him one last look.

"We'll talk more tomorrow."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

"No. Turn around. Turn around. When I tap your wrist, it means to turn. When I pull it, you have to follow me. No, I'm just tugging! You don't have to get defensive. Turn around. Wrong way."

Daolon Wong was very confused, but he was more angry than confused, because he continued to walk in different directions instead of following Jade's direction. He would always grab onto Jade's wrist because if he didn't have anything secure to hold onto, he would have an iron grip onto her for guidance.

"Ok. Now, when I tug on your wrist; you follow me."

She tugged.

"When I tap your wrist, you turn around."

She tapped his wrist.

"Then when I put your hand on a chair; you can sit down. Feel the wood and you can feel the structure. It feels different from stone or metal. It's easy."

Training was hard.

No, it was difficult.

Terribly tough.

Daolon Wong couldn't fully understand anything she was telling him, and he possibly didn't understand that he was going through training at the moment. He possibly didn't know where he was at the moment. Why he was there. How he even placed himself into this position in the first place.

"Ugh, you can sit down. We'll take a break."

He was seated.

Jade placed herself on a stool and patted her head with a towel. Sweat dripped off her forehead. Daolon Wong couldn't do anything but sit and yell more silent profanities. She tried everything.

Literally everything.

She tried making him understand the difference between a door knob and a shower knob. All day she tried to teach him everything she believed to be the correct way in the physics of pouring tea for himself.

Or even open a door for himself.

"This reminds me of gym," she said.

She dabs her forehead, sinking back onto a chair.

"Each of us had to take a partner. One partner would guide the other through an activity course. With bad luck, I was the first to be blindfolded. And who just **had** to be my partner? Cindy R. George. She's a jerk. In the end… I was sent to the Principles Office. Again."

Jade peeked at the Dark Wizard.

"Do you want to know how?"

She waited.

No response.

"Fine, I'll tell you. I had a little something called 'Lucky' in my hoody that day. Man, you should've seen it! It was the sweet revenge of Jade! Cindy did a Face Plant into the wall. Her face was priceless! She tripped over a basketball and went tumbling!"

Jade laughed.

"Then Uncle Jackie came. And so did Uncle. And so did Captain Black. Lucky had it easy. But I did _Hard Time_ in my room for a month. No cellphone. No television. No Walkman. Not even my videogames."

Jade got up on the chair.

"But the _Adventures of Jade_ didn't stop there. The gym teacher had us play 'Dodge Ball' a couple days later and all the other kids grabbed a ball and then 'Wham!' it would come at you like a meteorite!" she hit her fist against her palm.

Jade continues her story.

Jumping on the table.

Gathering the climax of her heroic tail.

"Cindy and I were the last ones in the ring! Just me and her! A showdown for the ages! Everyone was on the sidelines waiting for something legendary! She was taking the first move! Her red weapon of rubber death in her grip."

Her dramatic story continued.

"But then I told the Principle that it wasn't my fault! How did I know that Cindy was sensitive to nose bleeds? And the red mark on her forehead would go away eventually! It matched her red-watery eyes…!"

Her dramatic story had slowed its speed. Jade sat in her chair, her hand holding her head up.

"Then Uncle Jackie took away my Walkman… I was grounded for a week. I almost perished without my music. That was the week my favorite band came out with their new album! Jackie never lets me have anything."

Jade had settled down eventually, taking the Dark Wizard's hand and taking a walk down the hallway.

She turned her head on her shoulder looking at him.

"So, I'm just going to keep talking while you follow me around. It's not like you have a choice, right? Tch!"

The Dark Wizard didn't know what was going on, but he trusted his sense of smell. Everything seemed to be fine. His sense of touch told him everything was fine. There were no giant hot ovens anywhere near by for the girl to push him into.

"In my Study Hall class period me and a couple of kids made paper airplanes and reacted the movie 'King Kong' with a pile of Lego chips. I was King Kong and I had the mask and monkey gloves and everything."

Jade laughed.

"Best 10 minutes wasted ever! I ate the airplanes like Beef Jerky! I spit all of them into a trash can 5 feet away, I was like a canon! Then the teacher got mad and surprise-surprise-surprise! I'm in detention! Tch. Can't that place use a little imagination for once?"

While the young girl talked and talked the Dark Wizard practiced using his senses. Daolon Wong had gripped her hand tighter, without her noticing, and felt her skin. It was warm. About to become cold. It was small and soft compared to his large hands with claws for fingernails. Soon realizing his inappropriate act, he loosened his grip to a steady. All the while she did notice him move at all.

"Then there was this one time I purchased a 'Funny Noise Maker' on my phone! During my 4th period we heard burping noises and farting noises every time my teacher bent over to pick up a pencil! Best 99 cents I ever spent!"

"And then when I was forced to put a water balloon on my teacher's chair I was paid $5 that day. I'm no chicken when it comes to Truth or Dare. But then I paid a $15 dollar fine for ruining school property. But what I didn't think through were the floor tiles. My teacher slipped and broke her jaw bone!"

"I've been in trouble a lot all my life. But that doesn't make me a bad person! You've seen me kick Dark Hand butt! I've been after demons! After big talking monkeys with a wicked sense of humor! After flying masks! Next thing I'm going after Bigfoot, ghosts, and the Loch Ness Monster!"

She stopped. Both had come to a fork in the hallway. Or rather… it lead to three other directions. All of them held darkness in their mouths, sinking deeper and deeper into the cold. But coming to a hasty rest, Jade sat themselves both down in the middle of the 4 direction hallway and she began to play with his scepter.

The Dark Wizard did nothing as she talked.

"What's with the _Gandalf_ stick? There aren't any dragons to slay around here. Are we going to the Opera? I don't think so," she joked waving the crystal orb around.

"I wish I had my dog, Scruffy. My cute little baby puppy! I wish he was here. But then again…" she trailed off, going into a deeper state of mind.

She tapped her finger on the glass globe, watching a tiny thunderstorm zap inside the scepter.

Then-

The most strangest thing happened. Daolon Wong (even though blind) turned his head and stared at her. His hand folded infront of him. Legs crossed. Like a seated Bengal Tiger infront of Cat Nip, waiting for an invitation. Perhaps she was imagining it, but his glare studied her in a way that told her he was at peace. He was a cement statue with white eyes, powerful and intoxicating, his extraordinary presence sent shivers into the jewels of the chandelier above their heads.

Jade was so shaken that she immediately took his hand and ran down a hallway chosen at random and took down into the deepest mouth of the castle. She ran and came to the closest open room. Daolon Wong stumbled behind her but soon found himself seated on a couch while she sat in the corner holding her hands to her chest. Frost fell from her finger nails.

Both of them sat in a silent darkness. A darkness that slowly suffocated her. But it kept the Dark Wizard replenished. It was their traditional custom for days. Daolon Wong was not next to her, but as a gentleman, sitting in the correct position a few paces away from her. Minding her space and distance.

Jade still felt the weight of the cold in her lungs and throat, sliding down to the center of he chest. She would cough repeatedly to spit out the loneliness but it did no good, thinking she was becoming sick with the Flu or something.

After that sunset, somewhere in the midnight hours, Jade felt a terrible coldness in her legs and frame which made her begin to tremble.

She was a young child. Full of energy. Full of life. Full of sunshine. But here in the bowels of a forsaken castle owned by an evil Dark Wizard, she could feel the trembling in her chest. Soon it had spread to her mind. Another day was gone. Her life force of living in the sun were also hostage to Daolon Wong.

She wasn't a stupid girl, she knew what was going on.

Being stuck in a castle with an evil Dark Wizard for days without any outside communication? Talking to no one else? Not being able to see the sun for days and not having the permission to even see moonlight? Being forced to live in total darkness without family or friends? Being with someone who can't see you, talk to you, or hear you unless the next full moon?

The next full moon would be in 7 days, but once the countdown is up she would be either dead or fully insane. Jade looked towards her captor with water-filled eyes, thinking how someone can be so… lonely.

"You can't keep me here forever," she mumbled.

**Stockholm Syndrome:**

**A phenomenon in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic, or develop positive feelings to his or her captor**

The scepter in her hand had filled her with fear and desire. Fear; she was scared that if she tampered with the blackest chi on earth, she would be swallowed by it's evil seduction. Desire; she longed to hit him over the head with it, because he had stolen her life from her.

He will steal it entirely soon.

Very soon.

"Come on. Lets go."

She tugged on his wrist.

Instantly, he stood up from his seat, ready to follow her out the door.

She tapped his wrist.

He turned and followed her out the door. Hand in hand.

Things are getting bad.

Or perhaps... in an unusual way, better.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

"Almost there! Almost there!" Jackie repeated, gritting his teeth together as his hand reached for the nearest open gap on the wall.

He climbed about 20 feet. No matter how hard he tried he was no match for the castle wall's sheer height and invincibility. Sweat dripped off his nose.

"A…little…closer…"

His fingers slipped into the gap, stretching his arm, testing the physical strength of his true muscle. Then, now for the other arm.

ZAP!

"Ahhhhhhh!"

The Chan Man went flying backwards into a tree, hitting every branch, pulled by gravity and down to earth with a loud 'FLOP.'

"Ohh…" he rubs his head.

Looking up to the wall, it seemed to stretch even higher after each attempt to his dismay.

"It's no use. There must be another way."

He'll have to wait for Uncle to get here with Tohru so he can perform a spell or a charm.

Daolon Wong seemed to have put the Black Hill Plant to use, as a result of the force field which shook Jackie away from the castle walls. Nearly breaking his spine in half. Jackie sat down with a water bottle in his hand. It was hard enough running away from a pack of vicious wolves through the woods, outrunning a terribly hungry bear from the mouth of a cave, and then falling into a pile of Poison Ivy growing next to a graciously refreshing spring.

Is there **always** something?

Inside the Castle, Jade had taken the liberty of playing a game with Daolon Wong. He was doing absolutely nothing. But Jade had given him a sheet of paper and a pencil. He touched neither. She set up a board, facing both her and him, and randomly outlined the paper with small fish-like shapes.

"B-2," she said, writing her answer on the sheet of paper.

The Dark Wizard sat there, oblivious she had said anything at all. She got up from her chair and looked at his board.

"Awwwww… It's a miss."

Grunting, she added a point to the Scoreboard. Playing Battleship by yourself may have seemed boring but when you're playing a game with the most evil Dark Chi Wizard known to man… then you've got a real Game Night to look forward to.

"So… what do you chose? Hm? Perhaps B-10? B-11? Or maybe A-12? Maybe?" Jade peeked at him," What's that? You're choosing A-15? Alright if you say so…"

She checked her map.

"Hey! You got me! Beginners luck! BOOM! My battleship sunk! Everyone's jumped overboard!"

She added another point to the Scoreboard. That tally is up two points for the Chi Wiz.

"Now… if I was a Dark Chi Battleship… where would I be hiding?" she scratched her chin," How about A-4?"

She checked his map.

"Hah! Nice! I'm talking a walk and I'm sporting wood! Go Jade! That's right! I sunk your ship!" she added a point in her name.

"Your turn!"

Daolon Wong, completely relaxed and bored, gave a sigh. He missed reading his Spell books and making potions for future use. He missed the safe bowels of the castle basement, both dark and cold. Not playing Battleship with a child who insisted that he is the perfect Playmate, which was still not to his attention. For all he knew, he was sitting somewhere on a stone bench outside the castle walls feeling grass die with his sharpening senses.

"What's that? Say again? Oh, you chose B-17."

She checked her map.

"Hey, no fair! You totally used some Dark Chi magic to cheat didn't you!? What, you have eyes that can look in a 4th dimension?"

My, my, the child was silly.

The tally was added. Daolon was winning. Even though Jade was a softly competitive child, she made no effort in winning the game anymore as another subject caught her attention. Carefully, she moved aside the playing boards, papers, and pencils into a box.

Daolon Wong could sense her movement through his fingertips. His other senses were sharpening.

He could feel the objects being moved across the table. Every little vibration sent him signals. The playing boards sent bigger vibrations across the wooden table, giving him a message that there were two of them. The pencils made little vibrations with so little weight, but he could sense them too. He could even feel the weight of paper. It's soft scrape against the wood were strong enough to be noticed by the wizard. The gentle breeze it gave away when it would land flat.

For example: it was almost as if he could feel the vibrations of a submarine radar wave from each object.

He could sense it all.

Especially…

When Jade climbed upon the table to perch herself infront of him. She entirely focused her attention about him: his eyes. How did they become so… freakish? So… unusually appealing?

"You're like a kitty…" she chuckled," You're like one of those cats who have discolored eyes. They have white hair. Like you. They have claws. Like you. The only thing you don't have is a tail, whiskers, and a triangle nose with pointy ears."

Jade leaned closer. Still blind, his eyes were ghostly white. A pale white.

"But you're not so cuddly… or fluffy… Instead you kidnap kids. Blow up castles. Steal talismans. You're always like a drenched tiger. No one likes a wet cat."

Jade sighed, holding up her head.

She struggled for another topic to talk about, even if he could never respond. But soon he would be able to speak.

It was almost the full moon.

It was almost here.

Daolon Wong could feel her presence. Both small and warm. He could feel the other girl's distress with a reality far greater than he could have imagined even a few weeks before. In spite of his intention to concentrate his focus in becoming a beloved Uncle, she was not satisfied., his mind re-created pictures of himself trying to kill her many times before.

With her close proximity, his mind transported him to a world with him in a place walking by quietly in the late-evening sunlight, the colors blazing across the northern sky, shadowing the hills purple in the distance and the filling the air with radiance. Jade was sweet and kind. How terrible it was how he was completely the opposite. Her warmth did not reflect his cold attitude.

"Once, a long time ago, I had this cat named Ruby and she was such a cutie pie! I found her in this one temple with Uncle Jackie when we were looking for this cat statue. She was fluffy and cuddly and had the prettiest eyes you would ever see. I wanted to adopt her so bad! I always wanted a cat. Or a dancing bear wearing a clown hat, but sometimes you can't always be picky."

She hopped off the table, took his hand, and briskly walked out of the room. The temperature in his hand could easily be compared to that of cool metal. But for days, it was conditioned into her memory.

"She was my kitty until Uncle Jackie convinced me to put her up for adoption. I was very careful not to put her in the wrong shelter. Some of those other cats can be very mean, don't I know it! They always like to pick on the new kid on the block. Ruby was adopted only a month after. The family was good and there was a little boy too. He wasn't rough with her. But just as lonely as Ruby was. So, with my blessing, Ruby was off to a good home. I miss her, though."

Jade came into their room. Daolon Wong found a bench and sat down. The little girl began to pull out the blankets and pillows.

"I don't visit Ruby much often anymore, but that's because I have a dog named Scruffy. He lives back in Section 13 with all the other animals. He's actually mine. Uncle Jackie and Captain Black said I could have him just as long as I keep him fed and keep him out of trouble. I almost lost Scruffy once because an evil mask took control of him and he almost had me as Dog Chow. But then he became my dog again. And the mask was put down to sleep! It was a happy ending!"

She moved the couch closer to the middle of the room. All the furniture were placed in one big circle around them, like a corral. Giving a protecting feeling of safety and assurance. At last when they were in a smaller and more private room, she felt more comfortable to ask a question that's been bugging her ever since she first saw him when he first appeared in the temple with his warriors.

"How did your eyes become… like they are now?" she asked, and she never asked a question with so much curiosity. Not even in school.

Daolon Wong could sense that the girl continued to talk, but he didn't know that she was talking to him. Perhaps his company was beginning to overwhelm her, as many would ask; who would want to take care of the elderly anymore? Especially someone like him. Even for one as so young as her, she would become bored so fast.

But his thoughts were interrupted when he felt a warm flesh hover infront of his eyes. Well it felt like warm flesh. His nose sniffed and sure enough; it was her, but it smelled like soap and vanilla. The vanilla had a special charm to his senses, especially when it smelled delicate and warm. But then came another surprise! His entire body froze when her hand made total contact to his face, rendering him absolutely puzzled!

Jade continued with her theories.

"I bet you were born like this weren't you? I mean, don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm just nosy. If I had a blue eye and a grey eye, I think it would be so cool! It's so different. And people always say that being different is good sometimes. There's nothing wrong with being different. That's what my mom always says," her fingertips gently hovered over his eyelids.

"Or was there an accident? Like in comic books. A crazy scientist tries to make a breakthrough in the mysteries of the universe, and then there's an ugly accident in the lab and becomes a super villain bent on revenge with greed and power over those who had mistreated him all of his life! Those villains are always the baddest of the bad! Notorious killers! Even in video games. The bad guys always disappear into ashes and flames in the end when the hero knocks them around. Big talker for a guy who's dying!" she laughed out loud.

Her hand retreated.

"But I could be wrong. You're a Dark Wizard, maybe you were cursed. I don't know. I can't imagine being cursed in so much negativity and darkness. But not everyone is born evil."

Jade settled him onto the bed, giving Daolon Wong the message that it was time to sleep. The Dark Wizard did not sleep under the covers but instead hovered over the bed in a meditation state. She had discovered, over the days, it was his way of sleeping. Before she would go snuggle into the bed made of blankets on the floor, she quickly poked the fireplace, placing more wood upon the burning embers. They would stay warm tonight.

"Goodnight," she whispered, settling down.

10 minutes later she was fast asleep.

The embers from the fireplace glowed a soft orange against the stone walls. Dark shadows were tall, almost alive and moving. Silence filled the room. The rats were gone. Once in a while a '_Pop-Pop_' would be heard from the wood as fire licked it into black ashes. Jade snored softly, tossing and turning, mumbling Uncle Jackie's name and her mother and father. Her dreams returned with pictures of dancing dragons, cold watermelon, and red and blue snow cones. One of her best memories.

Shadows seemed to be Daolon Wong's pet that night, as the darkness did move and it did seem to be alive, it maneuvered through the ember orange light and curled around the girl's little body. The shadows grew bigger, stretching out hands, hands with claws to wrap around her sleeping form like a cradle. The darkness didn't have a mind of its own, because Daolon Wong controlled it as it's puppet master. She was breathing, warm, small, and scented with vanilla.

His thoughts tortured him.

"_She is pure. She is pure_," the man inside of him repeated.

"_Eliminate her. Destroy her_," the beast inside of him repeated.

"_She is innocent. She is pure. No! She needs to be destroyed. She is the enemy_," both sides told him.

Either way, he stopped. He stopped, to his annoyance, he found he was shaking. This was completely absurd. What had it come to when he discovered himself discreetly being gentle to her through the hands of darkness instead of his own hand? And a small young teen girl at that!

A short handful of years before, he was feared and respected in his Wizard field when he had defeated Fong in a legendary battle. All of the magical world knew his name and snapped to attention when he vowed he would engulf the world in total darkness. No one stood in his way at that time.

Now in these days, after rediscovering himself after kidnapping the girl, he had witnessed himself just how deeply the fear of him was rooted. The fear that he would somehow hurt the girl. She may not be afraid of him as many others should be, but he was afraid of her.

How much had changed!

He felt himself ridiculous, hovering there over the bed in their shared room, pretending to be sleeping so she would not interact with him anymore. Touching him had been a surprise, any more of her, and he would surely punish her out of quick instinct. An act he proudly did not commit. Jade would have feared him, possibly respecting his skills, but that fear would have been based in the power he had had and his will to use it- and to exercise the sharp edge to his tongue.

To this night- she still did not love him.

She didn't love him.

Daolon Wong was still impatient, at times sarcastic. He still despised cowardice, laziness, and affection, and took no trouble to conceal it. Even more, he despised the Good Wizard. But he was trying! He was trying his very best to be gentle with the girl. Like teaching a crocodile to carry a hare across a river in its mouth between its teeth, like a parent reptile would to his or her young. It did seem impossible.

"No one can make a stone bleed," he whispered.

Bleed? That reminds him… Would he still go on to creating the cure? He still needed the blood of the innocent- but he had burned the book. The full moon would come again. So what would be his decision? The spell book had been clear that he would need to mix the blood the innocent with a potion, he would drink it, and he would be forever immune to the Curse of the Three Wise Monkeys.

She was a pig for slaughter. It was his most deepest secret from the girl and there were so many outcomes if she were to know his intention. He desperately wanted to be free of the wretched curse, it put a slow halt to his spell book research. But his eternal hatred of the eldest Chan didn't go anywhere. He was still jealous of his foe, and when Daolon Wong focused on something he wanted- he went after it. Determined. Would he allow himself to love the girl?

The next morning came.

Daolon Wong was the first to wake. His thoughts of last night were remembered. How he wished he could change his mistake back at the mountain of the Three Wise Monkeys. How he wished he never discovered that his foe had a niece. Many thing would have been so much better in the end.

Walking across the floor. He bent down on his knees as his hands began to wave around against the floor. He did not feel anything, not her head or her hair. Only blankets and pillows. At least he discovered he was alone in the room. Where was she? Where was Jade? Did she get up early? Did she somehow manage to escape without having trouble with his barrier?

He wanted to yell out her name into loud echoes! Use his eyes to look for her in the darkness! Hear her voice tell him that she wasn't going to leave. But- panic set in. Was she lost and could not find her way back to the room? Or perhaps was she just being cruel and playing Marco-Polo where she would not reveal herself in the enjoyment of watching him wander helplessly?

Daolon Wong crawled on his knees to the door, opened the doorknob, pushed the door open, and began his deep journey through the castle walls. And what a journey it was indeed- he bumped his head into a table, hit his nose against a Grandfather clock, knocking over vases and crashing them into sharp pieces, bumping into knights armor, creating hideous noises all throughout the castle. He nearly stumbled down a stairway but quickly caught himself!

Where was she?

In the Western Wing of the castle, Jade had found an abandoned lounge and had also found a comfortable couch to silently cry on. Her eyes were swimming with tears. Even when was a 9 or 10, she would run away somewhere discreet and cry whenever something made her upset. A closet would be the perfect place. In the bathtub with the lights off. In a hole in the ground in the park.

She missed her family. To be perfectly honest- Jade was an easy target to homesickness. This castle did nothing for her. This was no home. This wasn't anyone's home. She's been practically talking to herself for days! Perhaps, this wasn't the summer she was hoping to have after all. The adventure was gone. No excitement. No fun. It was almost evening. The sunset colors began to pour in.

Both Jade and Daolon Wong, the most unmatched companions ever in history, were tired and sad, there were no real interaction between both of them, but they didn't know was that tonight was the full moon. At last!

_Ding_

_Ding_

_Ding_

_Ding_

_Ding_

_Ding_

The Grandfather clock has spoken. The entire castle seemed to have suddenly come alive, wooden tables and dressers were polished, chandeliers swayed together creating music, and-

A giant gust of air the size and the strength of a tsunami swept through the hallways, rushing through window tunnels, and choking chambers, tearing through the giant ballrooms and pushing against cob webs, drapes, giant doors and busting through large windows into tiny shards of glass! Jade definitely noticed and quickly ran into the wind funnel hallway to try and find Daolon Wong.

"What's going on!? What is this a tornado!? Oh, no," she gasped," Daolon Wong."

The chandeliers were now shattered on the floor, the little crystals were flying everywhere like snow, scratching her cheeks as she pushed and shoved and muscled her way! Her tiny arms wrapped themselves around a column, as her feet were lifted off the floor, like a human flag in the wind.

"Bug in the eye! Bug in the eye!" she yelled, shutting her eyes shut. She closed her eyes tightly!

Her arms slipped- flying her backwards onto a drape. Her fingers clutched!

It's ripping- ripping- and ripping!

It stopped.

The strength of the wind stopped- leaving a large echo and Jade sighed.

"Whoa!" she was hanging about 10 feet from the ground, and the drape ripped entirely, "Oof!"

Dust puffed up.

"Ew," she groaned wiping her eye from the dead corpse of a fly. The bug was dead. It drowned in her eye juice.

Something suddenly held her hand. With her one eye she was able to see a blurry figure standing before her. Another object glowed. Something moved. Another thing moved.

"My, my, you are destructive with your hands…" Daolon Wong hissed," My drapes. What have you been doing as I was dormant without… sound…sight… and voice?"

His voice was velvet, low and dangerous. Jade was still stunned, too stunned to say anything. He was back!? Her other eye opened and there he was. The Dark Wizard was fully capable of taking care of himself.

"Come." He commanded.

If you thought that Daolon Wong was blissfully happy to have all his senses back, think again. He was still himself. Even as he walked down to his own dining hall, he was still not satisfied that Jade felt nothing for him, not as an Uncle, not as a friend, not even as a companion.

"Eat."

Jade, still stunned, hopped on the chair. Infront of her was dinner. Not a big dinner, but a plate of salted pork and fried fish with a cup of water. Jade wanted to say something like _Welcome Back_ or something like _What Now? _But nothing came. What could you say to such a person with no sociable skills?

Daolon Wong did not eat. His appetite, hunger, and stomach were very well disciplined in the dining hall. It was like old days now. He was with his scepter. Jade was still the hostage.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

He said nothing. No response. His eyes, both grey and blue, continued to awaken to their usual color as his white eyes faded into his pupils.

Jade watched closely. The Dark Wizard shut the door behind him, shutting the cell door with a heavy, echoing sound of metal against metal, sending a shiver of memory through Jade's mind, bringing back her own few hideous days when he would starve her and leave her abandoned with ice and snow.

Wasting no time, he summoned his warriors.

Jade smiled. More familiar eyes.

"Hey! Long time no see, Chi Wiz!"

"I knew you couldn't stay away from us too long!"

"So what's for dinner?"

"Anything happen while we-"

"SILENCE!" Daolon Wong snapped," Go outside the castle walls. Weapons ready! We have visitors! Eliminate the three of them. Bring her. No questions or excuses! Go! Now! She must see this."

"Huh?" Jade blinked.

"Something tells me we're going to have a foe reunion," Finn mumbled to himself.

The three shrugged their shoulders and obeyed their master.

All three of them sprinted out the door.

"You! Come with me," Daolon Wong commanded to Jade.

"What fo-"

He knocked on her head with his scepter.

"Speak when spoken to! Must I always repeat myself? Come with me," he said.

He came back a few minutes later with the keys and opened the door to another room which glimmered in the breath of the moonlight. He went inside and left her to follow him. He started to unlock various cupboards and take out leaves for his infusions, cork screws, and various powders.

He passed several of them to Jade while he opened bottles and jars, then closed them again. When he finished he ushered her out, relocked the door, took some of the medicines back from her, and left her standing in the corridor with a small bottle of shredded roots with a small bottle of venom and a weeks dosage of Black Hill Root. Then he took a few scrolls of spells under his arm

Jade blushed.

"May I speak," she asked politely.

He lowered his scepter.

"What you're about to witness next, I would prefer you be silent. As such a young child as you, I would expect you to talk as much as you possibly can. Though I wouldn't be much to encourage it."

Jade hesitated," I heard 'yes' so… Um, what you are doing?"

"Establishing your future."

"How?"

Not saying anymore, Daolon Wong led her to the outside of the castle, into the view of the moon, the forest, and mountains. His grip would definitely leave a bruise. Wolves howled. Dark magic was a python, choking the beauty out of this land to serve its master greatly.

Especially, when Jackie Chan moved to the left and moved to the right and jumped in the air, back flip, summersault, moving away from the orange Enforcers. Hak Foo stood nearby, waiting for his master's blessing to join the fight, but Chan seemed to be too busy.

"Uncle Jackie! You bully! Let him go!" she yelled at the Dark Wizard.

Angry, Daolon Wong stared at her, disbelieving her tone of voice at him. After all he had tried to achieve- it was all… everything… it was useless. There is no hope. He will never learn how to love and that's just fine with him.

He hissed," You will watch this…"

Snatching up her wrist, his thumb nail massaged her palm, then began to slowly puncture her skin to draw out a tiny tear drop of blood.

"Ow! Ow! Help! Uncle Jackie! Help!"

"Jade! Jade!"

The Enforcers held Chan down on his knees then pulled back his hair, stretched his neck forward, his Adams apple sticking out, to look up to his beloved suffering niece in the hands of evil.

"Blood of the innocent…" Daolon Wong hissed, looking directly into her bright golden orbs," Purity is spilled before the Master of Darkness… Full moon will hold no sway over me…"

The Dark Wizard held a cup in his hand while his scepter floated in a small circle around his drink. It was no Coke Cola. It looked like gasoline but smelled like hot burning silver with gold honey.

"Uncle Jackie help!"

"Freedom shall be mine. A sacrifice is performed this night…" Her wrist was held over the cup, as she wiggled and squirmed," Blood is traded for more blood… My captor shall be condemned…"

"Please! Don't!"

Her eyes, her beautiful eyes, swam with tears, putting a luminous glow to her eyes as she watched her captor begin to shiver himself as he sees drops of blood fall into the cup. He lets her fall to the ground. He holds the cup in both hands, raises it high against the cool shine of the moon, his scepter glows with excitement, and begins to drink. The moon turns a ghastly blue, chewing into the air, striking down trees with lightning, and 3 bright orbs leave Daolon Wong's body. The Curse of the Three Monkeys has been lifted and he is forever free.

Jade will hate him forever.

A price for another price.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

"We are too late," whispered Uncle Chan as he sees Daolon Wong throw the cup to the side while Jade holds tightly onto her hand. The blood dripped.

"Tohru! Red Hill Plant! Now!"

Together, teacher and apprentice sang.

They sang and sang- catching the attention of Dark Forces.

Daolon Wong, not as strong as he once was, ran back into his castle and back to his cauldron.

Jackie quickly ran to his niece and sprinted back to his Uncle. Jade clenched as tightly as she could, but blood still seeped through.

"Jade. Stay here," Uncle Jackie gave a hard glare," And this time… I mean it. Uncle, you and Tohru try to come up with a spell."

Jackie raced up the stairway, into the mouth of the castle doors and sprinted down the hallway. Finn, Ratso, and Chow followed in pursuit.

Daolon Wong grabbed his scepter, eyeing its ruby red crystal, clouded with Dark Chi.

"The rebirth of my time shall come again."

Lifting the scepter high into the air, he gave his final chant and SMASHED it against the floor! The ruby shards bounced across the floor, finally disappearing into pearls of shadow and darkness.

"I shall take my leave. My business is done here," he mumbled, burning the stick into the cauldron, catching fire and melting into hot yellow lava.

Jackie ran into the room, grabbed a shield off the wall and hurled it as a disc! BOUNCE! A force field appeared. shivered, allowing Daolon Wong to merely walk in the other direction while his three minions kept Jackie distracted.

"Daolon Wong!" Jackie shouted.

"You are too late," he turned on his heel.

He levitated up into the air where his enemy could not touch him. Chan tried to pounce off the walls to reach him, but it was no use.

"Your dear neice was only the beginning of my plans. Once I find my spell for youth, my powers will not only destroy your entire family, but it shall my complete my quest to gulp this world into darkness..."

"Any last words," Finn asked.

Excited that the Enforcers would finally destroy thier foe, Finn spun his blade faster and faster until it buzzed! His partners cornered him in and easily. For many years the three men have been breaking thier necks and cracking ribs to destroy him. But finally! At last. Mr. Jackie Chan, the working archeologist and Uncle, explorer and adventurere could've died that very day.

But...

"Come, minions, forget Chan... we must take our leave. Now."

Finn, Chow and Ratso turned suddenly towards thier master. Had they heard him correctly? They were about to destroy Chan and thier master had given the idea... that they would spare his life. Daolon Wong had never ever hesitated before!

"What?"

"You mean... let him go?"

"Big D... this is Chan! Public Enemy #1..."

The Dark Chi Wizard said nothing, instead he hollowed out his chest, turned and walked into his familiar darkness where he hoped... no one will ever find him again.

"Fine. You get a Life Ticket this time, but next time won't be so lucky."

"Let's get outta here."

No matter how much Jackie wanted to bring justice to his beloved neice, he couldn't bring himself to move an inch. What just happened? Daolon Wong on the other hand had not entirely admitted defeat to his inner dark side because... he didn't know if he had a chance to get Jade back. His human half told him that he had done one last real good deed for the little girl.

His minions caught up with him, still glancing back to see whether Chan would follow. Finn tilted his head.

"Why did you let him go? We had him!"

"Who cares? We'll get him next time."

Daolon Wong stayed silent, allowing the last of his dark powers to transfer his Enforecers and himself to another hideout. Again, alone in his room, he reflected the past evening. The beast inside of him growled. The beast inside scolded him. You are weak. How could you let him go!? What went through your head? You are Daolon Wong, Dark Chi Sorcerer who shows no mercy! You are a monster, incapable of emotion, behavior or good intentions to the enemy!

He shut himself away, back into the basement, where cold darkness greeted him once more like a familiar neighbor. Throwing his cloak upon the floor, he kneeled into his cauldron peering into his window to the outside world.

"Why did I let him go?" he asked himself, facing the beast within," Why did I chose to let him live? If he should die by my hand..."Daolon took in a deep breathe," She would never forgive me."

Her face could not be forgotten. She, a singing lark, could never find anything good within him... there was nothing to find, nothing worth finding. His intentions for love were criminally off key.

There would be no comfort for him now.

But Jade had other ideas.

(A/N: This isn't over!)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

"All he said was that he was going to find the spell for youth. Then, he was gone. Uncle what do you suppose he meant?"

"Daolon Wong does not bow so easily. He will go through the most darkest corners of this earth to find what he wants, but for now nephew, you must eat! You must save your energy. Uncle and Tohru will do research."

"Alrigjt, Uncle."

"Tohru! Tea!"

"Yes, sensei..."

It's only been 3 days since Jade has returned home, and Uncle Jackie has been even more protective of her ever since. The whole family had sat down to eat thier dinner, and talked about what they were to expect from the evil sorcerer.

So far, everyone had been terrified for Jade, for her safety and everything. Jade, on the other hand, had been very silent. Everyone in the family knew that the evil wizard had a cruel intention to kill Jade, to destroy her and take over the world. But what they didn't know that Jade... liked him.

He was a nutty wizard who loved to make people uncomfortable. He loved to be in the dark. He liked to yell (really loud) to everyone in sight. He liked to sleep in the air, the most comfortable bed in the world. Sometimes he would even sit in one spot for hours and hours, not moving a muscle, with his fingers tucked in, breathing silently and then he would only move because she would bump him with her head to make him do something. Then she laugh and run away.

He liked drinking tea. Sitting in the attic with the rats, ice, and darkness. He liked to despise everything, including music and television. He was old fashion, living in castle with no Cable or video games. He liked to win. He despised losing. He was persistant and confident with his magical abilities. He liked to fly with the Rooster talisman. He liked to walk with his staff, ready to battle anything in his path.

So, in secret, she defended him.

"What's the big whoop? Uncle Jackie, you told us that he destroyed his own scepter. Isn't he suppose to be a dead battery by now? Why not just leave it alone? There are other bad guys out there."

She hoped not.

"Batteries may empty when they have no more electricity or hosts to keep them active, but... they can recharge. But we're not going to talk about this anymore. It's 8:00 Jade, go to bed."

"But I'm not tired."

"Jade..."

"Ohh..." Jade grumbled as she hopped off the chair, sulking with her head down as she entered her room.

But, in secret, she was hoping to go back to her room. She had some unfinished business to do back at Uncle's Shop. Grabbing her bag and jumping into the air vents, she crawled her way out of Section 13. But not before she put pillows under her bed covers as a distraction. She lifted the air vent door and pushed it open.

"No guard dogs." Jade made it to the outside.

She kneeled down into the gravel, going through the hole under the barbed fence to the other side. Running all the way to the darkest corner of the alley way, she took out her bike. It's not like she would ever go unprepared.

Unchaining it, she hopped on.

"Sorry, Jackie, but this is my adventure this time."

As soon as she got to her Uncle's shop, she quickly raced into Uncle's Laboratory of spells and books. Through the hour she was there, it seemed impossible to find a spell for youth, but not until she opened a book with a fire symbol. It was gold, shiny, and beautiful. The fire symbol shined and glimmered. Opening the book, she read the legend about the fire Pheonix

Of course! The fiery bird reborn from the ashes. What other perfect spell existed?

"Ah, the ancient spell for energy and youth. Said to contain the secrets for Immortality. Well, it's nothing a little Dog Talisman can't do. But since Daolon Wong doesnt have the Talisman, this is the only way to gain Immortality."

Her finger followed the sentence.

"To become Immortal, one must..." she trailed off with her mouth wide open," There is no way that Daolon Wong is going to do this! To perform this spell, the sacrifice of one must... reverse death? Sacrifice! Of course there's always sacrifice in dark spells like these... Hmm, is there any other way? This can't be the answer. There's gotta be some other way to stay alive."

Jade slammbed the book, stuck it in her bag, and ran up to her room. When she read the rest of the page, it was awesometown. There was no way that Daolon Wong could actually find the real mythical bird and take its feathers, which meant that he would be dumb enough to travel into DemonWorld and ask Shendu for help.

Last time he helped Shendu, it was the biggest mistake of his him in the slammer. As if working with that stupid overgrown lizard with the Jurrassic Park roar would ever happen again.

"It must stink to be so evil all the time. But evil would have to wait. Because when Jade is on the watch, evil has nowhere to hide."

On the other hand, evil could find her. Again. Jade was sure that she wouldn't have to deal with the evil sorcerer ever again, but a certain money-hungry, green suited, white haired villain had begun prowling the police-infested streets once more. Valmot was not a man to be taken so lightly.

Yea, that's right, Valmont wanted the talismans. So he'll have to play dirty. After recruiting working men from Vegas for an extremely high price, he began to drive back to California in a new limo while two men sat in the front seat. Guns were everywhere. In the passanger seat. In the glove compartment. Tucked in the backseat. Even in the hands of Valmont who had begun to polish it, but it was no ordinary gun, it was a tranquilizer.

"Phone the men. Tell them to bring me the girl; alive At 2:00."

"But that's too early. In daylight?"

"I meant at night time you idiot. I've waited for my revenge for months. Every little detail must be precisely as I imagined it."

"What about Chan?"

"We'll kill him. Kill the Uncle. Kill the giant. Steal the talismans. Be on our jolly way. But the girl... she will die eventually."

He clicked the bullets in.

"My, my, my this is a pretty gun. So sleek. Clean. Powerful. Out of the many I bought, I'd say that this is my favorite."

It was a gun that Valmont had especially purchased for Chan. The bullet is reserved for his skull. Another for his Uncle and the others for his entire team and family. He pointed the gun and twirled it around his fingers.

"Yo boss, how about that paycheck?"

"Uh- You'll be paid when the job is done, I assure you. Now just drive you oaf. Your money will come. But I want my reward first. The first step is to find an old Antique shop to do... a little shopping."

At last they had arrived in San Fransisco, and headed straight to the Antique shop at the precise time of 2:00. The sign on the door said 'Closed. Sorry for the inconveniance' Well, that's too bad Valmont thought to himself as his men exited the cars and shut the doors, pulling out guns from thier jackets. Like alley cats, they slipped through the doors and into the dark rooms of the shop, slid up the stairs, and into seperate rooms. These men weren't idiots because they had night vision goggles, snipers, silencers for the mouths of the guns, and a special acid from a N.C. tank to pour on the dead bodies so there would be no evidence. The head Alpha of the assassin team pointed to a specific room in the back of the house, upstairs, North direction and approaching.

"There's a light in the back. Approaching now. No sound."

"We don't need any witnesses at the moment. Who's there?"

"I see... a figure. Under the blankets. In the corner of the room."

"Who is it!? Can you see who it is?"

"Negative. It's under the blankets. It appears to be the size of a child."

Valmont smirked, rubbing his gun under his chin. His phone buzzed. Waiting for a response. Already he can see blood.

"Sir?"

Valmont clipped his gun to his waist. Getting out of his car, and walking onto the street as two men gave him a cigar to smoke. The phone still buzzed.

"Sir?"

"No. Don't destroy. She's a little girl. Unknown age. She's a brat. A pest. But she is very good bait. Engage. Do what I paid you to do, gentlemen. Gag her, tie her up and throw her in the back of the trunk. Make sure she does not esacape. No matter what happens, do not make a sound."

As assasin pressed his ear piece.

"That's a Go."

"Red team."

"Affirmitive."

Valmont waited with his phone pressed to his ear, eager to hear her scream and scream. He was sure that everyone in her family would do absolutely everything in thier power to help her. Then the assasin replied.

"You are going to be disappointed, sir," he buzzed into his phone.

"What?"

"It's no child. It appears to be some sort of animal."

"A talisman?" Valmont gasped.

"No. It appears to be... a... Moose doll? Supermoose?"

"Blast!" Valmont kicked the ground.

"Apart from that sir, no one appears to be in the house. It's completely empty. Fall back. We'll be back another day."

"Blast! BLAST! There's only one other place that they would be. Section 13 but it's too heavily arms for our standards. This is just wrong timing, on my part. Fall back. Get back to the cars. We'll be there when they return. Blast!" Valmont returned back into the car, slammed the door shut, and sped off.

Leaving a rooster tail of dust behind.

Jade had a lucky break that night. She had no idea that Valmont would be at the house. But she had the need to be at a local park, performing spells and magic. From what she read, the Pheonix dreams at night, performing its most mightiest sorcery because the fiery bird was not an enemy of the moon. But it's lover.

The Pheonix was said to revive its strength by the moonlight and revive its health in the dawn and relive memories during the day. It was a creature both complex and beautiful. So Jade decided to ty and perform a spell of flight. It was easier said than done. Because she had been trying for the past 2 hours.

"Ok, I am a bird. A flying bird with wings on fire. Be the Pheonix."

She opened one eye. There was no magic powers at work. She jumped and jumped!

"Come on already! I've got all the ingrediants. What more does it want? Fly already! Fly! Fly! Like Super Moose!"

She was right. All the ingrediants had been there. The bowls of dust, herbs, berries, water, and fire had been placed into a circle with the book infront of her as she chanted and chanted. Tohru hadn't performed this spell before either, but she was confident that she could do it. She was very determined to prove that evil could not be reborn.

"Huston, we have a problem," she mumbled.

"I've been trying for hours already! What am I doing wrong?"

Finally surrendering, she packed everything and went back to Section 13. Strapping her bag to her bike, she peddled.

"It's not like I'm doing this for nothing. Sure this summer turned out a little boring, but at least I got something out of it. Evil can't be reborn. Not on my watch. Daolon Wong thinks he can take over my world? He's got another thing coming."

You know when people say that Jade was a pure child, just full of fun and innocence? Only half of that is right. She's not fun; but she's more like...an adventurous troublemaker. She was also quite the comedian. And innocent? Only half the time. But pure? Yes she was. The only reason Jade still cared about Daolon Wong was because she wanted to prove to him that someone as so evil as he... could be good. Yes, she was willing to stop evil from taking over the world but she was also willing to risk everything in convincing that evil could never rise again.

Hence, she was learning magic. She wanted to perfect her magic skills. If she could train herself in the art of magic, then she had a small chance in beating him. Overconfident, Jade began her journey. Going through one book at a time, she was trying to learn the small things. How to control levitation. How to know where you're enemies are. Even control the weather temperature.

It's been 3 days since she began her training. Jade would often lock herself up in her room for privacy.

"Duh! Captain Obvious! I have to add the petals first and then the salt water. Stir well. Pour hot water into the cauldron with nuts and berries. Throw a little crocodile teeth with a KABOOM and finally... venom."

It was done at last. She poured the potion into a vile and allowed the purple liquid to cool down before she gulped it down.

"Eww! It's no chocolate milkshake, but... bottom's up!"

She gulped it down.

Somewhere on the other side of the world, in the most coldest and deepest darkest trenches of another untitled castle, the lonely Dark Chi Wizard looked into his mirror. It had not been long since he had stayed there, and it had not been long since the castle itself had awoken itself from its deep ancient slumber. Once again within the pit of the attic, he sat silent. This was the most safest castle he knew, filled with demons of darkness that itched and walked like zombies through windows and hallways. It did not bother him at all. Those demons walked with hooves, crooked antlers for claws on thier hands and black horns on top of thier heads. Demons were deaf to talk of sunshine and happiness. Demons are and never will be pets, but grim reapers and cruel tormentors of the mortals. They were ugly with blood and vemon and rotting skin, they were demons of a terrible kind. Cooked skin like black cloth, they walked like a returning soldier from a dreadful war. Red eyes. Unforgiving dead souls. On a more better note, these demons feared Daolon Wong more than anything because the demons knew that he was a man of a cruel nature, a more insidious nature.

But today the demons were wrong about him. Daolon Wong's nature secretly disguised itself with a mask of cruelty and wrong. On the inside, he was...injured and... fascinated. He wasn't the same after Jade left. But that didn't mean he would stop using Dark Chi magic to do his bidding.

Daolon Wong peered down to the cauldron and saw her face. Her face. How is it so that a child could capture him so much?

"Jade."

She enlightened him. For the past 3 days, she had been teaching herself magic. What a show it was! Her exploding failures didn't cease to stop her from trying once more and trying once more again. She continued on. But what for? Did she wish to be an apprentice? Perhaps. It wasn't a bad idea. If he could chose, he would want her as a student. She was capable of working hard. Capable of becoming a tolerable witch. But of course, he was only gifted in the Dark arts. Not the arts of Good chi.

"Little blackbird..."

What **enraged** Daolon Wong the most... was him. Valmont. The ridiculous fool had gone and found himself a band of rough and tough men from the desert lands. The Dark Chi Wizard saw him invade thier antique shop house, then retreat to return another day for the child. She was the most vulnerable. Curiosity had taken a beating to his head. Recently, he found himself wondering why he had cared so much about the girl. Why he had cared for her safety when he saw Valmont enter the house. Why he cared so much when she was no longer around. Why he seemed more he began to become a wretched hermit. Why he locked himself away from the world. Why he longed for the defeat of her stubborness. Why he craved to be blind, deaf, and mute just so she can be there again and cure his lonliness. Even if he had no abilities in communicating. Why? Why? Why!?

"Little blackbird of mine..."

For now, he will search for an antidote for his weakness.

"My powers are spent. My death is not far. I do not have much time. There are many obstacles, but nothing will stand in my way. Gen, Ren, Chui, Zen!"

From the shadows, the Enforcers appeared.

"Bring me this," he raised a picture," Bring it to me. My time is nearly here. On the sunset of the 60th day, the sun will no longer shine upon my time again. Hurry! To the mountains! Make no discussion with anyone. Make no errors. Do not fail me!"

In a blink of an eye, they were gone. Daolon Wong gripped his hands together. The wheels of action were in motion.

"As for my little Lark... my little blackbird... How far will you go to help me? Of course the Pheonix is a bird of resurrection, but they are extinct. The only way to retrieve a feather is with the assistance of that traitor Shendu. Pah! I will not make that mistake again. But, I have one last option."

He paced back and forth, looking at her sweet face. His cauldron changed. It bubbled and changed into another picture. The fiery Pheonix is not the only one that can resurrect itself from Death.

"My little blackbird... Are you so sure that I can change?" He smirked.

"Your efforts are wasted. You are a young fool who wishes too much. You are a merely a thorn in my side. You will never see what you want, my little blackbird. Once I have extended my life, you are first against the wall. In chains."

Back in Section 13, on the other side of the world, Captain Black walked into the Conference room to have a talk with the Jade Team. Viper, El Toro, Tohru and Jackie were all seated at the table while Captain Black turned on his laptop and hooked it up with the projector.

"What is it this time?"

"Jade Team. Our cameras have picked up some criminal activity in the mountains. It was recorded about 12 hours ago with a few reports from the local Park Rangers. Here," he pointed to the map on the screen.

The screen zapped with activity. Flashes of light flickered across thier faces.

"That... That looks like..."

"Dark Chi Warriors. It's Daolon Wong."

"They're... robbing a museum?"

"A high price museum."

"They seemed to be after some sort of artifact in the museum. They were seen on the 4th floor. In the crafts department. They came out of nowhere."

"What would they want from there?"

"We're not quite sure. I still haven't figured that out yet. But from the extensive damage the museum had to pay for. It seemed pretty important."

"So what's thier next move?"

"We're not sure of that either. But this gives us a lead to where Daolon Wong's whereabouts are. They may not be the best clues, but it's all we got. Jackie, do you think you can bring in your Uncle? Create a little location device again?"

"Yes. I can."

"Good. Jade Team. Get a good rest. Save your energy. Because I have a feeling the real party starts tomorrow."

Captain Black cut the wise cracks and left the room.

"Well, goes to show he's still out there."

"I don't like it," Jackie frowned," If he's still out there. Then no one here is really safe anymore."

In translation, he was talking about Jade. Viper left with El Toro and Tohru while Jackie stayed behind began to watch the video in slow capture. He replayed the video over and over again. Uncle Jackie had been obsessing over security and protective spells and begging Uncle to make a new spell everday. He had been drinkig more water and eating more fruits and meats, to save energy and build muscle, so he'll be ready for the Evil Wizard. He jogged every morning. He did his pushups and situps and pullups in the late afternoons, the poor man barely slept anymore.

His niece was precious to him. There was no way he was going to lose her to some madman.

But Jade (as always) had plans of her own. In secret, Jade hid under the table the entire time the Jade Team were in thier Conference.

Sounds crazy? Of course not. She knew that Daolon Wong was behind it. But what she wanted to know was... why he would look in the mountains. What was there? What this another scheme for Immortality? Was it to find some other spell for descruction? And why would he attack a place so close to Section 13?

"The Jade Team are going to the mountains. This may be dangerous, but Uncle Jackie needs me. He doesn't know what Daolon Wong can do. Time for a little Mission Impossible!"

She crawled on her stomach under the Super Jet. It was alive and ready to fly. The Captain of the Jet checked his earphone speakers and performed a safety check to his fellow pilots. The giant legs of the monster flyer were still attached to the ground, giving her the perfect way into the Jet besides the main entrance. She climbed upwards and found herself in the baggage compartment, but with the height this thing is going to fly, it's going to get pretty cold. The temperature will possibly drop.

"Oof! What is this?"

She unzipped a large black bag. She gasped.

"Whoa. Talk about trigger happy. Hasta la Vista, baby..."

Now, she was worried. Daolon Wong was powerless and the Jade Team was coming after him with heavy equipment, machine guns, plasma rays, and snipers!

"These are strong enough for World War III...! There's no way the anti-Uncle would survive this."

She scratched her chin.

"They're packing a lot of muscle... Hmmm," she gave a sly grin," I guess I just have to pick out the bones from the muscle then..."

Jade quickly went to work. By the time the Jet landed in another place, the Jade Team quickly left to find the Dark Chi Forces. Captain Black communicated with them through a phone and he ordered them to go to the Southeast of the mountain, onto Road 34 and to the museum. Jackie and the rest followed in pursuit and came to the mountain museum where they found ruin and chaos.

"It's like a tornado hit."

"Does anyone see anything? Any clue? Anything we can see?"

Everyone searched, picking up every shredded book, every destroyed computer, and every single decapitated statue head.

"Nothing. Clean as a whistle."

"Captain Black said that they were on the 4th floor."

"We looked everywhere. There's nothing here, Jackie."

"Let's keep searching."

Everyone seperated and went thier own direction but Viper stayed behind and followed Jackie to help him. But instead of helping him search for trouble, she wanted to help him with his problems. Jackie was different. He wasn't the laid-back, cautious and kind-hearted polite man that everyone knew him to be. Viper watched him. Jackie was a man with a mission, a strong intent to bring a man to justice.

"Jackie..."

He didn't turn his head her way, instead he lifted a desk and peered down for any clues, then threw it against the wall in frustration. He stomped into a another room while Viper followed him, she raised a hand, hesitant to speak.

"Jackie..."

In growing frustration, he kicked down the door and stomped inside to find another room with no clues. There was nothing to use. No clues into finding the cruel wizard who kidnapped his neice and held her hostage somewhere in the world. Who endangered her life. Who might've harmed her. Jackie punched a destroyed computer, sending flashes of sparks into the darkness, zapping and hissing. Viper gripped his shoulder.

"Jackie! Cool down. It's not the end of the world-"

"No. It would've been worse than that."

"What happened in the past is gone. You have to think about -"

"The future. I am thinking about the future! I'm not thinking about my future. I'm thinking about Jade's future... She would've been killed... she would've been lost forever. Now, I'm trying to be two steps ahead of Daolon Wong. No. I have to be 5 steps ahead of him. So when I find him-"

"It doesn't have to be like this. Jade can take care of herself. You know she can. I understand you're worried for her. But if you go on to be like this, you'll only make things worse."

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"I know what you're going through, Jackie. Revenge is tempting. I've been down that road before. But fighting fire with fire... will only make a bigger fire."

"I love my neice, Viper. You do not have a neice of your own. If you were me. You would understand."

Jackie glanced back at her and entered another room, quickly regretting that last comment. But sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. He had to stay strong. Strong for Jade. Strong for everyone. Jackie never felt so enraged like this before and there was only one way that he could be satisfied; to catch the Dark Chi Wizard and bring him to justice. To take him out of the game forever. Make him realize how much he infected his family. Jackie kept looking, endlessly and tirelessly. The rest of the Jade Team sat back and waited for him in a grim silence to stop this charade of hate and anger, and to finally return home. But Jackie stayed. Viper sighed, holding her shoulders and closing her eyes. Revenge was an ugly thing. It was venom and once it touches you... There is no cure.

Jade, the little vixen, snooped around and searched for any clues that Daolon Wong was truly here. She knew that Uncle Jackie was upstairs in the room Captain Black said that the Enforcers would be in. From what she could see, he was not happy.

"What's with the Hulk up there? Peh, Uncle Jackie will come around soon. Now, into business. Hmmm... if I was a Dark Chi Warrior, where would I look?"

She opened the basement door and peered down into the darkness at the bottom of the stairs. It was silent and scary. Like from a horror movie.

"If Daolon Wong is after a priceless item, it wouldn't be in the musuem for everyone to see. It would be under it, woulnd't it?"

She gulped.

"Well, here goes nothing."

Her footsteps echoed as she descended into the eye of darkness. She reached out her hand for a light switch. She found it. Turned it on.

"Whoa. I'm not going to meet a Centaur am I? What is this place?"

This place looked like a labyrinth. It was untouched and clean. That meant that the Enforcers didn't give a thought into looking here.

"There are so many statues. It's total Gnome City." Jade picked up a cow statue and gazed into the ruby red eyes of the animal.

The shelves were filled with all sorts of statues. Dogs. Dragons. Pandas. Goats. Bulls. Peacocks. And large statues of rhinos. It was all about animals, in so many shiny colors and different sizes and different shapes and names. Jade went through all them and she took note of all thier names.

"Wow. It's like the Circle of Life down here. Uh oh..." she gasped as something stirred behind an aisle.

She ducked down. Her hand print was created on the floor as ice surrounded her body. Her hair immediantly froze and her eyelashed grew stiff. The hairs of her neck stood up, causing a chill. Cold ice froze across the floor but then froze in another place as if it moved on its own. But then the ice thawed and disappeared as if... someone was here. And someone was there. Jade looked through the shelves and to the next aisle, and there he was. Daolon Wong. The ice followed him like a dog on a leash. If she would touch him, his sub-zero skin would feel so at odds with her warmth. The little halos of light upon the lamps gave only a little light, but soon the light turned blue from the capture of ice and Dark Chi.

He picked up every statue, examined it, then let it smash as he allowed it to slip from his hand. Little shards bounced everywhere. He would pick up another one then allowed it to fall. SMASH! Another statue would be smashed against the floor. Then another would be thrown over his shoulder and then another statue would be thrown. The floor would soon be covered in a thousand shards. He picked up a lion statue and threw it to the wall, in frustration, and as his temper grew he growled. Jade watched him as he wiped off an entire aisle with his arms, everything came crashing down to the ground. He continued to walk further.

"Guess he's down in the dumps.. What's he-"

Then she gasped. Little drips of blood were on the white tile floors. The little droplets followed the Dark Chi Wizard. Still unafraid, she followed.

It was his blood. Suddenly the lights flickered. Daolon Wong still smashed every statue in sight. The little shards of each statue cut his fingers.

"That's where the blood is coming from."

Jade hid behind another aisle. What was he looking for? Finally, Daolon Wong turned on his heel.

"Those fools! I shall have them all destroyed for thier lack of service! I can feel it. It's here. Hiding from me."

He gazed into every statue. Then he paused in his steps and picked up another. There was a statue of a the fiery bird. The Pheonix. It was a small statue, about the size of a cat and it was beautiful with colors of gold and yellow. The wings were raised well above his head. The feathery tail was just as beautiful, long and slender with red tips. It clawed feet laid above its stomach, as if ready to snatch a fish out of the water. The bird had black eyes, though. It shined like coals. As he raised it in the air, it glimmered. As if it was alive itself. Jade gasped. Was she right? Was he after the Pheonix spell? There was no other way for Immortality.

"Bah!"

He smashed it. It busted into pieces. Not longer valuable.

"Guess not," she whispered.

That statue lost it shine and everything that was admirable about it.

"Should I take death by the hand tonight... may my name be left behind at Life's feet and in the arms of Darkness..."

Jade slowly emerged, still staying silent as he seemed to pause and rethink his actions about the intrusion of the museum. Daolon Wong stood among the choas he had created, seeming to be lost. And he was lost. There was nothing else to look for. She glanced at his robes. There was blood dripping down, creating seperate rivers of crimson red. Carefully, she balanced herself on the icy floors as she approached him.

"I know you are there," he said.

She flinched.

"What? Why didn't you say anything?"

He crackled the shards of broken glass in his hands, crunching them together as tightly as he could, allowing the shrapnel to touch his flesh and tissue.

"Your Uncle would not approve. Leave me."

Jade gulped. He was so scary with the way he used his words. But she wasn't going to let this go so easily.

"Listen, my Uncle is upstairs with the rest of the Jade Team and they're here with heavy metal and they want to bring you to Jail back at Section 13... and what I want to know is what are you looking for?"

She looked at the decapitated head of the fire bird.

"I thought the Pheonix would solve all your problems. I read somewhere in my Uncle's books that you would need to get the feathers and sacrifice something and something else about reversing death and jabber. Jabber. Jabber! Jabber! So if not the Pheonix. Then what else is there? I've done research but I've got nothing."

"You are not so educated in magic as I am, young one."

"Let's cut the cake! What-"

"And why... would a girl as you... be so interested in my affairs? Our encounters in the past were merely because that you, young pest, were my hostage." He stepped forth.

Jade knew that this was the moment of truth. She wanted to help him because he saved her life once. She wanted to save him because he was the first real friend she had in a really long time. Even if it was against his knowledge, he was a good listener.

"Hey, you saved me. I'm just repaying the favor..."

Daolon Wong grinned.

"Stupidity does take favor in the youthful."

"You bet it does. So are we going to blow this taco stand or what? What's it going to be? You in?"

"I don't understand."

"Understand what? We're busting out out of here."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked her.

"I wonder if I can fly the Jet away. Nah. It has autopilot. Boring! I'd rather fly it myself. Maybe we can get a ride? But I dont have the keys."

"What will you do? Why are you doing this?" He asked her as she began to walk around him in a big circle, scratching her chin and thinking of the many ways for escape.

"It wont take long before Uncle Jackie comes looking down here, too. You're still weak. We need to get you out of here. Follow me!"

"Jade..."

Daolon Wong narrowed his eyes.

Jade rushed through the broken shards and towards the stairwell. Daolon Wong stood there, completely dumbfounded at what just happened! Did she offer to come with him? To help him? Did she want him to follower her? Was she not angry at what happened in the past, when he began to throw her into a snow storm or slowly freeze from the pit of the dungeons? Was she so sure of herself to trust him again? What was her plot? Reluctantly, he followed her, not giving any arguments because he was very curious to know what she would do next. Perhaps she was leading him into a trap she and her team had arranged in order to surprise attack him?

"Come on! It seems this way is blocks. Viper and Tohru are coming this way. Hide!"

She shoved him!

"Go! Go! Can't you move any faster than that!?"

Daolon Wong looked behind him and she pushed and pushed, moving her feet across the floor like she was doing the moonwalk. Ha! She was so weak, but so strong at the same time. He was shoved behind a desk as Jade looked at the stairwell to see Viper and Tohry descending down. Jade glanced back at Daolon Wong and then at the shattered statues, and then to her partners/family. This was it.

"Well. Here goes nothing."


	13. Chapter 13

Viper and Tohru looked at the complete mess of broken statues. And standing in the middle of it all was Jade. She gave one big smile and waved her hand.

"Heh... Hey!"

"Jade!?" they yelled in unison.

"Oh, do you have any idea how angry your uncle will be?"

"Relax. I'm cuteness overload. It's like trying to be mad at a kitten."

"Jade! You need to learn how to be responsible. If you pull another stunt like this, it's going to land you in hot water. Oh, nevermind, this will land you in big trouble."

Jade gave a sly _glance_ behind her.

She's already in hot water.

"Come on. We have to tell your Uncle."

Jade stopped in her tracks! She stepped back.

"Wait, hold the cellphone! You want me to turn myself in- Uh no! Wrong phone number. No way. I'll be grounded, like, forever! Can't you be a pal and let me go this one time? I promise to- to- do your laundry."

Viper grabbed a hold of her hand and ushered her forward. Jade pouted. Tohru stayed in his tracks, staying behind to check out the rest of the place, still curious as to why this basement was destroyed. Realizing this, Jade panicked! What if he found Daolon Wong? Jade swung back but Viper wasn't letting go.

"Wait! Tohru!"

The giant stopped and looked back.

"Um..." Jade went blank.

"Yes, Jade?"

"Um..." Jade gulped hard," Can I have a hug?"

Viper rolled her eyes," Come on, young lady!"

"No! Wait!"

It was too late. Viper brought her outside and to Uncle Jackie.

The look on his face was- horrified/shocked/angry/protective. One of those faces that you get when you break your parents' favorite vase and blame it on an Aqua Man action figure.

"Jade...!"

"Hehehe, hey Uncle Jackie..."

"I'll deal with this later. Just get back in the Jet. And stay there this time. Tohru will make sure you do not run off again."

Viper looked back at the building," Where is Tohru?"

WHAAAM!

The giant man came crashing through the roof top! Soaring up through the air! Pausing and feeling the pull of gravity! Then came falling from the sky! Then crash landing on a tour bus! The ruckus caused everyone to gather to gawk at the scene of undeniable destruction. There was only one thing that caused Tohru his little wild ride. THAT was the dark forces of the Evil Wizard himself.

Jade gasped," No..."

"I've waited for this..." Uncle Jackie popped his knuckles.

"El Toro, you hit from the right...Viper you hit from the left. And I'll hit him high and low..." Jackie spread his legs.

"Wait, Uncle Jackie! You don't know what you're getting yourself into...!"

"Stand back, Jade..."

"Uncle Jackie...!" Jade protested," Wait... Oh no... He has no more magic."

She glanced up to the entry door to the Jet and saw men come out with guns in thier hands.

"Wait. No! He won't be able to defend himself! He's powerless."

But before they could make any further movement, the doors of the building slowly swung open.

From the shadows stepped Daolon Wong. The moonlight made an outline of his face, but soon that outline was gone as the clouds came, blowing a chilling wind. Perhaps this was his Last Stand, because he showed no sign of fighting and no sign of surrendering.

Before Jade could blink someone behind her shouted,"Aim!"

"No! Wait!" she yelled," Don't shoot!"

The men kneeled on one knee and pulled the trigger! Click! But nothing happened. They looked at thier guns and opened the caps.

"The ammunition is gone!"

"What the-"

Jade smiled. She remembered taking the bullets out a long time ago. That would slow them down!

"Just stand back and let us handle this!" El Toro said to them.

Viper pushed Jade back as the team sprinted forward!

"Oof!" she landed on her side," Wait!"

On the other hand, Daolon Wong was the happiest wizard at the moment. There was no need to flee from his enemies anymore so why should he hide in the basement any longer. He chuckled to himself.

At last! At last he had found what he was looking for!

As his foes closed in on him! He held up the one statue that will change the rules of the game. The one statue that would save his life.

"Face me if you dare! I have the Statue of the Nine!" Daolon Wong yelled.

It was a Cat Statue.

A Cat Statue.

Jade smacked her forehead," Duh! A cat has 9 lives... But, that means..."

The feline statue was average sized, but it glistened and gleamed in the moonlight. Its eyes were white with gold whiskers and its claws were white with golden wristbands. It was mesmerizing. Daolon Wong allowed the cat's crystal paw to slowly touch his hand, where the paw was dipped into blood... and then the transformation began!

It was not a painful transformation, but it engulfed him. Like sunlight through stain glass; not around but through the light. Touching his soul. His dark soul would be heightened with strength in the senses, smells, and physical confrontation. But that didn't mean that his Dark Powers had returned entirely. But Jade would be there.

(A/N: Sorry that this chapter was so short and that I've been gone for so long. But more chapters will be published soon. Thnx.)


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

Back inside the walls of the great big castle the pot of stew boiled faster as the heated flame licked at the bottom of the large barrel. The smell rolled up in red clouds upon the stone ceiling; and Jade couldn't stand the intense aroma. In no doubt had the spell worked; blessing him with an escape from the clutches of death; it was a satisfying victory. It was a relief for the both of them; but it also entitled them to beware of the outside world. Daolon knew better than to take a stroll outside without completing and reading and studying books and spells and enchantments. After some survival competitions, even victory can include two prizes instead of one. The first victory prize: new life, a fresh start. The second victory prize: Jade, an apprentice.

"It's like being in Hogwarts! With all the owls and scrolls and smelly pots of boiling tomato juice," Jade peeked into the boiling pot.

Glancing back to the Dark Wizard, she solemnly picked up a large wooden spork which she slowly began to stir. After they had both returned back to the castle Daolon Wong hadn't been a charming party host, instead he crawled back into his basement with his knapsack with all his scopes, maps, trinkets, and bottles.

To Jade it seemed his entire life was consumed with the dark arts with no one to talk to or to associate himself with. That life sounded familiar; because she was lonely too. Of course she didn't douse herself in darkness; but his living conditions were enough to make her understand his hatred and bitterness to the world.

"Soup?" she asked him.

Once again he gave no reply as he continued to sit upon a large and tall book cabinet in the corner of the basement, his head and mane becoming tangled in cobwebs. Her hopes sunk a bit, lowering the bowl of her soup just as her expectations. He had not moved since she began cooking their shared dinner, and he did not seem to be in the mood to quench his appetite. Sighing, she slowly placed the bowl at the feet of the book cabinet in attempt to feed a stubborn man.

Then Jade thought to herself if he was a man anymore. But more like an animal. It did frighten her a bit, but his distant and lone characteristics had kept her fears at bay. She remembered when he had first transformed into an animal a few days ago, back at the museum with Jackie and the Jade Team. Daolon was prepared for doom but Fate and Destiny had different plans for the old wizard. He had been blessed with the gift of the Cat. It was nothing Jade didn't know of, she transformed into a cat too, a long time ago. Once scratch; then bam! You have whiskers, a cat tail, paws, claws; the whole package.

"Daolon?" she spoke.

He did not move. She was about to lose hope and leave him in his comfortable silence. Then suddenly- beneath his robe and under his legs, she spotted something moving back and forth, back and forth, back and forth slowly. What the-? Jade raised a brow as this "extra limb" continued to move like the head of a snake, almost alive and living. The recreated Dark Wizard slowly opened a small gap between his teeth, exhaling a sharp deep hiss between his fangs. He then clenched his fangs together and moaned a deep intense growl, rumbling slowly in his throat like approaching thunder.

Jade gasped with widened eyes as she saw a large lion tail reveal itself from beneath his robes, waving back and forth and curling itself into C's and twitching. Daolon Wong turned his head towards her as if she was Cat Nip and arched his back against the wall like a gargoyle with his large pointed ears twitching in the cobwebs.

"…..whoa….." she gasped," Nice tail."

The dark wizard dropped from his cabinet gracefully and stretched his head forward to his soup. His jaw dropped and his long rough tongue began to gulp the soup in large amounts. His whiskers were dipped into the red soup along with his triangle nose and just as soon as he had begun, he finished the soup. His large heavy tongue slipped through the gap between his fangs and licked his nose clean. One little bowl wasn't enough. Daolon Wong eyed the big pot and approached—but he stopped and growled in disgust.

"Big cats do not favor soup. I need fish," Daolon Wong whispered.

"Well we don't really have a Tuna Boat floating around here…" Jade sighed.

His large belly growled. Jade tapped her forehead.

"Hmmm, well I don't know what kind of kitty cat you are, but all big felines need is food. A lot of food."

Daolon Wong approached the door, but Jade jumped in front of him.

"Ok, hold on tiger, we need a game plan. You can't just stroll into a store and pay for milk or fish looking the way you do. Look in the mirror you'll be on Wanted Posters being chased by Animal Shelters and Animal Control…. and uh, maybe the National Guard."

"Perhaps, you would be suitable to fetch me my dinners."

"I'm not made of money you know. Why not use your Enforcers?"

"Peh, they are a miserable failures—" his stomach grumbled," Enough! Out of my way. I am fetching my own food."

"Wait! Errrr! You don't understand the consequences! You don't know what's at stake! Oof!" she dropped to the floor after trying to pull his tail to a stop," Pssh! And they say I'm irresponsible."

Daolon Wong walked up the spiral staircase and reached the front door. Jade was running right behind him. He crouched down, his nose sniffing the dirt whiffed from a Western breeze. He coughed and Jade crouched beside him.

"I smell the ocean breeze and seashells."

"I don't smell anything. Hmm, where are we anyway?"

Daolon Wong placed a single claw into the earth then froze, concentrating and not moving a single muscle with his pointed ears twitching and rotating in 4 different directions. Jade waited with a raised brow. It wasn't strange. He was suppose to find the perfect location to hunt.

"Well?" she asked.

He hoarsely whispered, "I feel everything… Every little thing… every little living creature…" he growled and rotated his finger deeper into the earth," little ant workers underground… the breeze in the grass… earth worms… grasshoppers feet… your heartbeat…"

"Wow, you're like a Human Radar for submarines! You're like Super Kitty! Then finding something to eat shouldn't be so hard. Come on! There has to be some yummy trout in a pond or something. If not, then we have Plan B: go to Petco and get you some Meow Snacks!"

He admired her enthusiasm. She was very spontaneous and strong, so it wasn't hard for them to find a watering hole. Daolon Wong didn't find a river or a pond or a lake, but he found a wooden well. A bucket was tied to a wooden stick beside it, but it was not usable because it was broken due to wood rot. Jade peeked down the well with low expectations.

"There's water in there. How are you going to—Waah!" she ducked down as he launched himself and dove into the well, diving, diving, and diving deeper! Jade curiously peeked into the well because she didn't hear a 'splash' once he was inside. But just as soon as he was inside, he crawled back out on all fours with legs of a big grey frog dangling from his mouth. Blood and water dripped off his whiskers and tad poles dropped off his mane.

Jade gasped, winced in disgust! Covered her mouth! Then ran away to go empty her stomach behind a bush. Daolon Wong wasn't proud of himself but his hunger overpowered him, and the slimy body of the frog only increased his appetite. Similar to taking a shot of alcohol, Daolon tossed his head back and the amphibian slid down his throat in one smooth motion.

"Even if I eat 100 frogs, it still does not satisfy my needs! Come, apprentice, I must find bigger creatures. The night is still young. It is alive with death prowling in the bushes and you are small."

"Ugghh," Jade gripped her stomach," At least I didn't ask you to chew with your mouth closed. That was like watching a remake of Fear Factor! That was so bizarro! But kinda cool," she smiled," Alright, what you need is some good Grade A top choice fish. I'm talking about 5 star restaurant fish. We need to find Fish-topia!"

"Where do you suppose we will find this…. Fish-topia."

"Well, I don't have any money on me but I can get a bag and sneak from fish. I'd be like a fish ninja—now you see me—now you don't! I can be nowhere and I can be everywhere!" she smiled.

"…Fish? … ninja?" he raised a brow.

He had to admit it. Her humor was nonstop, she was joyful, full of energy, and pure. It's what Daolon Wong found most precious about Jade. Her purity. She was so pure and it's what he hated about her and what he found most precious about her. Just as he watched her now, her sassy hair bounced as she walked with a skip, and her smile was genuine. He shook his heavy mane, remembering that he had forced her to be his apprentice to save her family. Shouldn't she be furious at him? Shouldn't she be trying to escape from him? Daolon Wong flinched as his hunger hammered in his stomach once again; enabling his feline instincts to use his natural hunting skills to find a new meal.

"Come, my apprentice, we have a long night ahead of us."

It turns out that Daolon Wong and Jade had ventured off and found a working animal farm because Daolon smelled the delicious aroma of milk. Unfortunately the milk was securely locked in large tanks and they both couldn't open it because they couldn't risk making any noise. Daolon could smell dogs near the horse stables. Jade giggled every time he would puff up like he was struck by a lightning bolt whenever he smelled the scents of mutts.

"Well this stinks. What are you going to do? Can't you just use magic to get it open? Err, wait, you don't have any magic left. Oops. Well, what about-" Jade gasped," W-What do you have in your mouth?"

He was crouched down over a stack of hay with his head lurched forward and his mane shook back and forth as he bit into his mysterious meal. She could hear his teeth bite and crunch into his meal as his tail whipped back and forth in satisfaction.

"Daolon?" she tapped her foot," Spit it out."

He continued to eat. Jade walked in front of him and grabbed the pull string attached to his meal. He was still cheweing. But he wouldn't let go until Jade flicked his forehead with her fingers. His jaw opened, releasing his small meal. Jade squealed!

"Oh! Ew! Ew! Ew! That's not string!" Jade pinched her nose.

She pulled out the tail of a rat. Only… there was no rat.

"Ohh! You are SO going on a diet! I mean it! No more frogs and rats. Next thing you'll be eating is me! Gross!"

Fresh blood was sprayed across the golden strings of hay on the floor of the barn. Jade was sure that he was going to starve at this rate; the poor thing was becoming desperate. On the animal channel on television she remembers watching a program on lions and tigers and their eating diets. Tigers needed a lot of meat, a couple of pounds and so did lions.

"Maybe there's a store we can find. Pretty sure they have raw meat they don't want anymore. What do you think— " she realized that she was talking to herself," Uh oh."

Running out to an empty doorway, she notices a lion tail sneak into an open window of the owner's house. If this gets on the front page of a newspaper, they are doomed! Encouraged to break some house rules, she went to the back door. Her hand pushed open the squeaky screen door and tip-toed past slumbering dogs into the living room. There was plastic on the furniture and pictures of kittens everywhere. There were plush dolls, pictures, statues, woven kitten tapestries, and kitten lamps. Big mosquitos buzzed around night lights while cock roaches invaded dry cake and cookies sitting on the glass counter top.

"Wow. It looks like Crazy Ol' Cat Lady souvenir shop."

She heard something clink upstairs.

She whispered, "_Daolon_… we need to get out of here. _Where are you_?"

Creeping upstairs, she could hear his big footsteps in one of the bedrooms, softly thumping and creaking on the wooden floors. His deep huffs of breathe were becoming larger and louder. His hunger is still growing. She had to do something to help him. Just one foot on the first step of the stairway and it creaked loudly! One sneeze and the whole house would come crashing down. Quickly becoming impatient, she pouted.

"_Daolon! Get down here! I know you can hear me!" _she took another step up_,__" Let's get outta here!"_

Jade took a few more steps, hanging onto the rail. From her position in the house she could hear the snores coming from the family members' rooms, which meant they were still undiscovered. She finally made it to the second floor and stood in the main hallway, looking back and forth for her partner in crime, but saw no signs of him.

"_Hello?_"

She softly opened doors which lead to different people of the household. Some of them slept in Toy Story sheets and army green blankets with Aerosmith posters and baseball bats and football jerseys. Another thump came from down the dark hallway. Something rattled.

"Are you there? Hello?" Jade peeked inside and Daolon was dunking his head inside a large tank of water.

She gasps," What are you doing? This is no time to go bobbing for apples! Uh oh…"

Apparently, he was catching and gulping little gold fish with his mouth. His mane was soaked as he dunked his head back inside the tank, the floor was flooded with water and little toy castles and reefs. What was worse? A man and a woman were asleep in a bed right next to the great big cat and Jade tip-toed over and pulled on his tail.

"_Stop! We gotta go! Dinner time is over_!" she whispered, pulling on his tail,_"__ We don't have time for_-"

"AAAHHHH! IT'S THE TIGER FROM THAT ONE CEREAL COMMERCIAL FROM HELL!"

Jade face-palmed herself," Now we're in trouble!"

The old woman switched on a lamp," Our goldfish!"

The old man picked up a baseball bat," Honey, call the cops—Wait, no, call Animal Control!"

Jade stepped forward with her hands in the air," Wait, he's totally harmless! He wouldn't hurt anyone!"

Daolon Wong slowly lifted his head from the water, turned towards the terrified couple in the bed with his ears flat with absolute fury. He kneeled down on all fours and gazed at them with a strong intimidating yellow fire, opened his jaw with a puffed chest—and released a mighty roar like rolling thunder striking to deliver some biblical revenge. Every room in the entire household awakened with gasps and screams as if reawakening into some horrible nightmare, and only to find all their house pets brutally devoured within their cages.

"My gerbil! Oh god, why is it inside out!?"

"Oh, my beautiful parakeets! They look like a bloody pillow fight!"

"My hamsters! Sparky, speak to me!"

Jade pulled on Daolon Wong's tail again as his whole body coiled back into a tight spring. The old man made a swing—but the Daolon ducked and snatching the bat in between his front fangs. It was a quick game of Tug-O-War until the old man was thrown back onto the bed. The big cat man snatched Jade up by her hoodie like a mother cat would carry a kitten by the nape of the neck, and leaped through the open window! The guard dogs were awake, excited, angry, and ready to kill the house intruder once and for all! The big cat man didn't want to waste his energy on those filthy mongrels.

"What are you waiting for? We need to hustle out of here!"

On the ground all the dogs jumped on top of the cars, jumped on the highest barrels, running up the walls barking their lungs out. Jade instinctively clung to his large neck holding onto his mane like reins to hold herself up.

"Run! Run!" Jade yelled, yanking on him," Cheetahs are supposed to run at least 70 miles an hour! You can beat these clowns! You have enough open space."

Daolon leaped from the rooftop and onto the ground. Then something happened. Something clicked in his brain. Once his paws and feet touched the ground, all of his strength, all of his muscle, and all of his power sprang into action like a well-oiled machine. The old man and the old woman ran out onto the porch with shot guns and a telephone, with their children hiding behind them.

"Yes, officer, I see it! It looks like some sort of… big… really big …white lion and it's—it's carrying a kid in its mouth!"

"Run faster! The fuzz is after us! We gotta go before we're jailbirds!"

Daolon snorted at her remark. His hind legs pumped harder and faster. Jade bounced around like a necklace. As soon as he touched the ground he was in an automatic race for survival against the dogs, and the goal post was beyond the highway and back into the hills. He began to run faster— but something was wrong. His balance was off.

"Whoa! Take it easy! To the right—no to the left, your left, no, my right! My weight is throwing your balance off! Oof! Try to run in a straight line!" Jade looked up at him. She looked behind him and the dogs were getting closer and closer. So far, they were about lose this race.

"Wait a minute. When big cats are running to catch prey or evade an enemy… they use their tales to balance their weight! That's it! Did you hear me from up there? Use your tail!

Daolon nodded," Hang on."

If the dark sorcerer was recorded on video camera for his feline speed— he'd be on every Discovery Channel for the next 10 years. Jade clung onto his mane for dear life! His increased speed became intense and powerful with every stride and thrust. Both of them swiftly disappeared into the corn fields. Their shadows in moonlight sped across like paper birds across the fields, leaving the dogs panting and drooling with exhaustion, leading all of them dropping to the ground in defeat.

If a team of 'Discovery Channel' camera men were recording his great escape then the audience would see his feet and paws and muscles became more powerful, slowing his image in slow motion effects. After the emergency phone call to the police, a helicopter appeared from nowhere with its bright headlight on his body.

"Fuzz! It's the fuzz! Po-Po's! Party poopers! Right behind us!"

Suddenly the whole scene had changed into action movie scenes with the dramatic helicopter introduction and the blinding white light outlining his body. They fled the corn fields and onto the highway and straight into oncoming traffic, dodging cars and trucks and diesels. All the vehicles skidded to a halt, burning rubber, leaving black tire mark tattoos on the highway. Police cars sped after both of them.

"We need to disappear! If we can't dodge this, they'll never get out of our hair!"

Daolon nodded. Jade clutched his mane tighter and swung her legs up, positioning herself on his back, hanging on like a jockey on a horse. His throat growled as a police car matched his speed. Running side by side with a machine, both exchanged threatening glances at each other. The wide-eyed police officer held his radio to his mouth and mustache while maneuvering the steering wheel.

[radio screech]

_**I see it!**_

_**It's… I-It's nothing like I've ever seen!**_

_**Look at the size of that thing! Is it a white lion?**_

_**It's not human. I'm going at 100 miles per hour!**_

_**I can't keep up with it! Call the helicopter!**_

_**It's got a kid with it**_

[clip]

Daolon growled and swerved off the highway and into the rocky hills where the police vehicles could not follow them. Jade could feel his body spasm with adrenaline as he slowed his galloping to a slow steady trot through the thick grass, the bones in his paws were gripping. But the party wasn't over yet. The hovering helicopter floated like a bubble with its headlight searching for the both of them. Jade jumped off and both of them hid in the tall grass.

"Easy come, easy go…" Jade smiled," That was a great getaway! You did an awesome job! After this is over, you deserve a special treat."

At last the headlight was gone. The humming noises and sirens and honks were disappearing into the distance. The stars in the sky suddenly looked brighter. The songs of the grasshoppers were getting louder. They were safe. Jade stood up in the grass while the big cat licked his nose while his whiskers twitched anticipation of escaping again.

"Wow. What a night! But our job isn't over is it? We still need to put some cat chow in your-" Jade smiled and glanced around.

Once again, she found herself talking to no one.

"Oh no! Not again! It's like I'm babysitting myself!" she exclaimed.

She walked and found the big cat eating a clean healthy meal of fish. At last he had found a wide pond filled with fish. It was better than frogs. Better than rats. Better than gerbils and hamster and parakeets and goldfish. Daolon Wong refueled his energy for the past hour until he was completely doused in the scent of mud, tad poles, and grass. She took off her socks and shoes and joined him in the pond as he poked his nose in the water; she placed her hand on his head. Her fingers rubbed his mane; almost thanking him.

"It's been a good night," she said," Everyone loves a good midnight snack."


End file.
